Thunder Roads Texas - October 2012 by Thunder Roads Texas

It’s not about the bike... it’s about the RIDE!

A Legendary Ride... a Texas-sized Cause!

October 2012

ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Also Inside:

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Ride Map Lone Star Loop

Contents 

October 2012 On the Cover 30 A Legendary Ride... a Texas-sized Cause! Boo Benefit * October 12-14 * Jefferson Regular Features

8 10 12 14 33 38 40

Letter From the Editor From the Road: Letters to the Editor Two Wheel Thunder TV Review: 2012 V-Twin Expo Performance Product of the Year, Pig Writes: Riding with Benefits Ride Map: TRT’s Lone Star Loop ThunderCam Joker’s Wild

Biker Band Corner: Alan Fox Band

Resources 19 Event Listing CENTER - Pull-Out October 2012 Calendar

43 42 34

Biker Friendly Listing

On the cover: 2011 Boo Benefit. Photo by Ricky Neill; RazzleDazzleArt.com.

OWNERS Bob Cooney, CEO/Photography ThunderRoadsBob@yahoo.com Shelly “TX Dragonfly” Horan, Editor Shelly@ThunderRoadsTexas.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Thunder Roads Texas Main Office 281.866.8149 * Shelly@ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Shelly “Cricket” Beatty - San Antonio/Hill Country CricketGOC@yahoo.com * 210.445.2477

Bill “Shovelhead” Barnes ThunderRoadsBill@yahoo.com * 321.960.6161

Don “DB” McGovern - Dallas/Fort Worth ThunderRoadsDon@gmail.com * 972.896.1919

Laura Mae Benson - Houston Laura.ThunderRoadsMagazine@gmail.com 979.481.9642

Diane G. - Houston trmtx@mail.com * 832.253.3262

Traci McClure - East Texas Traci.McClure@yahoo.com * 936.671.9567 Bonnie Estes - Austin/Hill Country AngelWing1555@yahoo.com * 512.673.6679

D. Grey - Houston trmtx@mail.com * 832.881.9244 Darlene “Lady Diva” Hanson - Dallas/Fort Worth ladyd1va@hotmail.com * 817.680.8121

FEATURE WRITERS

Peggy Beck - Two Wheel Thunder TV Reviews; sharing Pink Thunder, each submitting quarterly: Joni “Even Meaner” Kelton (Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct), Shelly “Cricket” Beatty (Feb/May/Aug/Sep), & Terri Williams (TMRA2; Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec); and “Pig” Meinhardt - Pig Writes

Thunder Roads Texas Bob Cooney & Shelly Horan State Edition Owners 4631 Cashel Glen Drive Houston, TX 77069 281.866.8149 ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Thunder Publishing, LLC Toni & Brian Shearon National Founders 1528 Matlock Drive Chapmansboro, TN 37035 615.792.0040 ThunderRoadsMagazine.com

CORRESPONDENTS

Layout & Design Shelly Horan Top of Mind Marketing 832.585.4045 Top.of.Mind.Marketing@gmail.com Thunder Roads Magazine® is Trade Marked and may not be used in any way without consent from Thunder Publishing. Thunder Roads Magazine of Texas is published by Thunder Roads Texas. All rights reserved. No part of its’ content may be reproduced without written permission. Publisher assumes no responsibility and is not to be held liable for errors beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error, slander of any group or individual, failure to produce any issue as scheduled due to reasons beyond our control, any and all suits for liable, plagiarism, copyright infringement and unauthorized use of a person’s name or photograph. Opinions and claims made by advertisers and authors are their own and do not necessarily represent the policy of Thunder Roads Magazine®, Thunder Publishing, or Thunder Roads Texas. Publisher does not promote the abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Ride & live responsibly. Thank you. Thunder Roads Magazine®, Thunder Publishing, and Thunder Roads Texas. Thunder Roads Texas is a wholly separate entity from Thunder Publishing LLC and Thunder Roads Magazine editions in other states. As such, content that runs in other states’ editions has no relation to the content in Thunder Roads Texas. Unless specifically stated, Thunder Roads Texas does not endorse, and is not responsible for, any content in other Thunder Roads Magazine editions.

Michael Jackson - Galveston; Joyce Siegert - D/FW; Dean Downey - Amarillo; Linda Nilsson - East Texas; Mary “Ima Ryder” Taylor Austin; “Pig” - San Antonio”; Randy McCamey - West Texas; Don Brewer - Livingston; Donny Phillips - LaPorte; Mike “Biker” Boone - Houston/Gulf Coast; Dan Harp - Keller; Jason English - East Texas; Gwen Tucker - Central Texas; Don McGovern - Houston; Travis Jacobs; Houston; Jason English - Rusk; Donna Herrin - Edinburgh; Leah Hanscom - Piney Woods; Amy Jacobs - Gulf Coast.

We are heading into the final stretch of the fall rally season. October is full of great events. And the season ends with the Lone Star Rally (November 1-4, Galveston) and Three Sisters Rally (November 8-11, Camp Wood). Of course, then the toy runs really kick in! This month, we highlight the Boo Benefit (October 12-14, Jefferson). We hope you enjoy the background story of a really great rally! And our ride map is something to hold on to for when you visit the Lone Star Rally. In editing the articles and looking through the letters from readers, I noticed a bit of a common theme. So the topic must be on more folks’ minds of late. Pig writes about biker benefits and as he leads in, he talks about the “biker image”. A reader contacted me about his experience in dealing with the community and local media in a small suburb town in the DFW area. And… well… it got me on my soap box. We don’t normally use the magazine to state our own opinion. We let the readers make their decisions; form their own opinions. But, sometimes, the issue is strong enough for me to pipe up. The topic: the “Biker Image” with the general public. I state my piece in response to our reader in the “From the Road”, but suffice to say I believe it is important that each one of us riders behave in a responsible manner when we’re out in public, especially when wearing biker gear and/or colors. We have an uphill battle – TV shows commonly depict riders as outlaw gangs, whether it is a documentary or fiction. Add to that all the negative press given to riders when a select few get in trouble and… The only way to change the public’s attitude about who we are and the value of our brotherhood to the general good is to continually participate in good works, make sure the community is invited and made to feel welcome at open events, send press releases about these activities to local media regularly… but most of all as individuals, be respectful, considerate, and behave ourselves out in public. Don’t give others a reason to point their fingers and say, “See, they’re scary bad!” I dream of a day when colors, leathers, do-rags, etc. don’t instill a feeling in fear as we walk through a business establishment’s door. Come on – dream it with me! At the end of the day, it’s simply educating the public about who we are and that our core beliefs are no different than theirs. We just dress funny and ride. So, off my soap box. A reminder to visit our advertisers. Without them, we can’t come to you, the reader, free of charge. If you frequent a motorcycle-related or biker friendly location that you believe can benefit from advertising to our community, make sure they know about us! Send them to our website or even send your leads to us and we’ll take it from there! Finally, a sincere thanks to all our readers and supporters; we have the BEST folks reading and participating with Thunder Roads Texas! Ride safe... and ride with THUNDER! Shelly “TX Dragonfly” Horan Editor / Owner, Thunder Roads Texas Owner, Top of Mind Marketing Top.of.Mind.Marketing@gmail.com

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as they all rode. Personally, I had no idea that there were this many people with bikes that pitched “shoes”. The bottom line here is that more needs to said or written about the “family clubs”. What clubs are family orientated, where are they located, how long have they been around, what type of events do they have. The Armadillo Cycle Club currently has 19 patch members that are very busy trying to raise funds for good causes, support the TMRA and show that with determination, hard work and limited funds what can be accomplished.

COMMENT ABOUT OUR SEPTEMBER 12 WEB-ZINE ARTICLE: “When a Crash Hits Home” Thanks for sharing that story Shelly…brought tears to my eyes…it’s true..we often don’t hear about the fallen…I lost my husband in Dec. 2009…he hit an ice patch on his way to spend the holidays with me and my daughters in Wichita Falls…he was 45 minutes away… the ride is 8 ½ hours but he had stayed in Austin the night before heading out on a beautiful sunshiny day. The snow that fell before was a lot and he never saw that patch of ice under an overpass.. we made it to the hospital in time to say good bye but he was unconscious…I believe in my heart that he knew we were there.. Take care and thanks again!! Helen Loya THE PUBLIC BIKER IMAGE Shelly, just liberated a copy of your magazine from Thunder Alley bike shop in Burleson, TX. I was very impressed with the entire magazine, as the articles, advertising and photography was clear and concise. It truly annoys me when you go to read and article that really says nothing. It is these articles that makes one think that they ran out of material to write about but still had 500 words needed to complete the article. Good job by the writing staff. Thus this email. Over the past few years the media has spent a lot of time and money showing the dark side of motorcycle clubs, Gang Land, need I say more. What would it take to have one of your correspondents come to our Horseshoe Tournament on September 15th? The purpose of this event is two-fold. A percentage of the gate will be donated to TMRA Area B and a local children’s organization. The Armadillo Cycle Club has been in Cleburne for 30 years as a family club, which we continue to be. With that said people still feel that the patch we wear on our cut signifies trouble. This tournament is directed toward the city of Cleburne and the residents. The club is trying to get more citizens to come out and see what a family club truly looks like. Does a family act or look any different that the people who shop at Wal-Mart? There are many family clubs that are experiencing this same problem, I am willing to bet that the average citizen has no idea what “CMA” stands for, just sayin. This is the first time that the club has hosted an event of this type. My bike broke down in Little Elm on a Sat and I pulled into the city park. There was a horseshoe tournament in progress in the local park. I was out there trying to get my bike started and ran down the battery. I asked this guy, whom I had never met if he had any jumper cables. He said no but he would ask around. Ten minutes later 8 people showed up with cables and tools,

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I read your magazine on line as I work in the gas fields and have more time, sitting on a well for 2-3 hours is pretty boring. I would like your thoughts on this as your staff really seem to be on top of things in the biker world of Texas. Sincerely, Greg Martin Armadillo Cycle Club Secretary armadillocycleclub.net Editor Response: Greg, I cannot agree with you more! There are far too many stories I hear of discrimination against bikers – regardless of what kind. Even the ignorance of the public about colors can cause issue for all concerned. It wasn’t until I entered this community about eight years ago that I started to understand there are just as many kinds of riders in our community as there are different kinds of people in any other group. I didn’t know that there was a difference in patches – all riders wearing a jacket/vest with a patch, in my mind, were all in a club (with all the negative connotations of the general public). Just like any community – “a few bad apples” make the whole batch look bad. And agreed – media doesn’t help at all. I get all riled up over shows that depict riders only as biker gangs and news media that only report motorcycle deaths and “bad bikers”. Unfortunately, as a motorcycle magazine, we have limited affect on the general public – we’re preaching to the choir. Another unfortunate side effect sometimes – discrimination of bikers by businesses can be handled so poorly by both sides… I’ve heard of instances where riders mishandled a public situation. IE They got mad, loud, and threatening. A situation where a few hot heads in a group got the entire group kicked out of a place and they were patched riders. These kinds of behaviors only seat in the public’s mind the perceived bad attitude and intentions. I firmly believe that the best way to change folks minds is to remain “in their face” doing the good things, being well behaved, acting responsibly, and being considerate of our surroundings. It’s upon each one of us, individually, and with the various groups/clubs to make the difference. I think we’re getting there, but we have a long way to go for sure. I encourage your group to continue your good works in the community. Get community leaders involved and make sure you’re sending press releases about your good works to the local media on a regular basis. Turn the media into your local friend and that will go a long way. It all starts in small communities like yours… and it can grow. Ride Safe & Ride with THUNDER! Shelly Horan

ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

October 2012

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2012 V- Twin Expo Performance Product of the Year: The BUB EPA/CARB- Compliant CAT Mufflers he 12th Annual Cincinnati V-Twin Expo was February 4-6, 2012. This Expo by Easyriders remains the one show to attend for V-Twin dealers. It was at this show’s awards ceremony that BUB Enterprises received the “Performance Product of the Year Award” for the EPA/CARB- Compliant CAT Mufflers. Soon after the show we contacted Denis “BUB” Manning to see if we could put these mufflers to the test for Two Wheel Thunder TV’s viewers and Thunder Roads Texas’ readers. So who is Denis “BUB” Manning? He is a world-renowned land speed racer. He’s designed and built some of the world’s fastest motorcycles. Amongst all of this, Denis “BUB” Manning Denis has continued to expand his own company, BUB Enterprises, to become a manufacturer of high quality performance exhaust systems for cruisers, sport bikes and ATVs. Denis has worked in the motorcycle industry for over 40 years and making pipes since 1978. In his early years he worked in a motorcycle shop, employed by racer Dutch Mueller, who was also known as “The Flying Dutchman”. Denis was soon nicknamed BUB (Big Ugly Bastard) and thus became the name behind the legend. As of September 2009, there is no federal standard set for motorcycle noise limits. However, in an attempt to regulate the matter somewhat, the EPA has issued noise emissions standard regulation. Before I discuss noise emissions regulation laws, please note some people could care less about the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) or CARB (California Air Resource Board). However, it must be stated that some riders and law enforcement do and we should respect their views and rights. With that being said, “The Cat’s Out Of The Bag” BUB

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Enterprises has received CARB Executive Order k-002 allowing for the sale in California of Catalytic Converter equipped exhaust Harley Davidson motorcycles. This allows replacement of OEM exhaust with BUB True Duals, BUB TDX headers and BUB catalyst equipped mufflers. Also offered are BUB Slip-on Mufflers (Catalyst Equipped) for stock header fitments. As with the BUB 7 Stealth systems, performance will not suffer with these new catalytic mufflers. These new mufflers have high flow catalytic converters that give on average an 10% increase in power, but also provide the perfect balance of 50 state legal sound, that is neither too loud nor too quiet, with a deep rumble that you would expect on a Milwaukee V Twin with BUB product installed. The mufflers have four-inch onepiece bodies with tapered inlets for easy installation and offer impressive mid-range and top end performance. BUB moved the “Cats” into the mufflers to keep from adding additional heat to the V-Twin. This helps address the issues of the V-Twins that already run at high heat levels. July 2012 was the hottest month on record in the US. That is when we tested this True Dual exhaust system on a Harley Ultra Classic. A few thousand miles riding produced no perceptible increase in heat to the rider or the bike. The BUB 7 Stealth True Dual exhaust increases the power of the bike. So it’s not how loud of sound-but the quality of the sound. BUB Exhaust System delivers great reverberation. This always brings up the saying “loud pipes save lives”. If loud pipes: save lives then Gold Wing riders would be dropping like flies in cold weather. Researching this subject I found many attitudes but very little in the way of hard facts on this issue. In the end I could not find a single fact that supports or refutes that theory. A serious problem we have with this theory is that it is,

at best, it’s a secondary safety measure, not a primary or proactive measure. Let’s face it, the best protection you have is a alert and clear mind, a steady awareness of your surrounding and acting on the conclusion it’s up to you, and you alone, to ensure your safety on the road. A friend once said: The test of a motorcycle is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn’t any other test. If the motorcycle produces tranquility it’s right. If it disturbs you it’s wrong. The choice is yours. Are you looking for an exhaust system that is not too loud or too quiet, with a deep rumble that you would expect on a Milwaukee V Twin and increase the power of your bike? Then order direct from BUB or your local dealer (BUB.com). [EDITOR’S NOTE] While there is no study that specifically proves the “loud pipes save lives” theory, I dare the naysayers to be on a bike with loud pipes and have a car on a metro freeway start to veer into their lane. When they pull in the choke in and rev the engine to make those pipes make their noise, I bet even they will be hard pressed to NOT experience the drivers take startled notice of the fact that they’re impinging on a biker’s space. I’ve personally been on multiple bikes in that exact situation and I firmly believe that loud pipes DO save lives… they’ve saved mine on more than one occasion.

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Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

October 2012

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Riding with Benefits he door opened but the light from outside was blocked by the four shadowy figures as they stepped inside. All heads turned toward the strangers as they began to walk through the establishment. Fear gripped the local patrons when wonder became reality; they realized the strangers were bikers. Now standing among them were four big, burly men, all dressed in black leather and chains. And man, were they ugly too, all covered in tattoos and facial hair. The old man at the corner table saw them as the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The locals just knew these big ugly mugs were here for one reason and one reason only; they were here to cause trouble.

“Hey there little lady. How’s that hamburger you’re eating there?”

The four men moved across the room to an empty table. The locals were all quiet as a church mouse as all eyes watched them. No one so much as even dared to breathe. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a biker’s blade. Then the biggest one of the group looked over to the waitress.

How many times have we bikers faced this same type of situation with the public? It is always assumed at first we are the trouble makers. But in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. These labeled “four horsemen of the apocalypse” were actually just four dudes on their way home from a fundraiser benefit for a local family. They had heard of a family that was displaced from their home by a fire. The fire destroyed everything and shattered this family’s life. A group of bikers decided to host a fundraiser to help the family somehow rebuild their lives. And the four horsemen were there to lend them a hand.

“Four beers darling,” he growled. The waitress stammered out a weak, “Yes sir.” The four horsemen looked around the room and saw everyone was sitting there motionless, staring back at them. Then one of the bikers saw a family of three sitting next to them. He broke protocol as he spoke to the young daughter

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“It’s good,” she answered, but then curiosity got the best of her when she asked “Are you bad men or good men?” With a laugh all four bikers shook their heads, “No darling, we’re not bad men. We’re just bikers on our way home. We wanted to stop and get something to drink.” Then the girl’s father spoke up, “Where are you headed?” Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief as the bikers conversed nicely with the family.

If you have been a biker for any period of time and you are connected to a biker network, then your e-mail inbox has

been filled with requests to attend some sort of benefit. Since I write for Thunder Roads, I receive these same requests on a regular basis. A lot of times, people want me to write up a story about their benefit. The biker community is a much focused group. We are always willing to help with cash and/or volunteer our time to help those in need. We see the need, but more importantly, we FEEL the need. It is in our daily lives. Many of the fine motorcycle clubs here in Texas will focus their main purpose towards helping people. Be it veterans, abused children, or breast cancer awareness (we must save the Ta, Ta’s). Last year it was the fire victims from the Bastrop area. Benefits help a family that needs help paying some medical bills. Or worse yet, one of our own friends is injured or killed on a bike. I can honestly say with pride, I have seen more big, bad-ass bikers perform more Godly acts than some regular church going people. Yeah, we open our e-mail and we see yet another benefit has been added to the list of others to attend. How do we make each one? That is a tough decision. I may be a beer drinking, woman chasing, hard riding Pig of a biker but I still have a soft place in my heart to help people. When you put a face to the benefit it makes it more personal and fulfilling. I know many of you out there have held a benefit or

ThunderRoadsTexas.com

volunteered to help someone you know. It takes a lot to do one of these things. Getting the word out, gathering stuff together to raffle, purchase food, cook the food, and serve the food. Then you need someone to sell raffle tickets. You need a place to hold the benefit, set up tables and chairs, parking etc, etc, etc. It takes a lot of work to put one of these things on. By the time you are finished putting all this together, you’re gonna need a benefit of your own. So why go through all of this? Well, here is why… I would like for you to meet a friend of mine; his name is Chuck Coy. Chuck has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. He is a heck of neat guy. Chuck is well known in our local biker community and has been an active participant in many local functions. Since insurance will only cover just so much of the total cost, his wife Terry and some of her friends decided to pool their talents and resources to put on a fund raiser. Hawgs and Dawgs, a local bike shop here in San Antonio, knows Chuck and the family and agreed to let them use the parking lot to hold the benefit. They posted notices on Facebook to spread the word for everyone to attend. Terry and her volunteers arranged the food and raffle stuff. The pit was fired up at 6:30 that morning. It was quickly loaded up with chicken and sausage. The event started at 11:00 a.m. When I got there at 11:15 there was already a good sized bunch of people there. It didn’t take long after I arrived when you could hear the first wave of rolling thunder just a-coming down Military Drive. We all knew it was headed straight for us. I could feel the tears build in my eyes as Chuck jumped up from his chair waving and greeting the 30 or so motorcycles riding in just to show their support and love for Chuck. Bikers continued to come in from the road throughout the day. By the days end all but three pieces of chicken were left. In other words, they sold over 300 plates of food. It was also a good time among the brotherhood of bikers.

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

Just one week later we had another benefit to attend. This time the benefit was put on for the Open Road Angels. The event was headed up by Tribe of Judah San Antonio Chapter vice president, Rex Keating. Rex is one of the ministers of the Open Road Motorcycle Fellowship Church. The Open Road Angels benefit children born to drug addicted mothers and are placed in foster care. Many of these addicted babies are born with problems that require them to have a lot more care than healthy babies. Well to make a long story short, one of the foster mothers was having some financial difficulties. Rex and his fellow Tribe Brothers jumped in to help this mother out. I think of it as one more example of living freedom by choice. (Side note, because of privacy laws and such, I cannot show pictures or release the names of the children helped by this benefit for their protection.) Well anyway, this bunch of big, ol’ meanlooking bikers (the kind of guys that make you want to run and hide when you see them) worked together to put on a benefit. It was held at the Deer Crossing Saloon in Selma. They sold chopped beef (No Pork Allowed) sandwiches and cold drinks with chips and goodies. They held a 50/50 raffle and people donated items to auction off. We (Rainman & I) picked up a good deal on a sissy bar travel pack for the back of the bike from the auction. To keep the mood lively Leatherneck Cacuy’s band Jack Ruby Tuesday provided some real kick-ass biker music. Those guys did a great job. Once again, you could hear the sound of approaching thunder as clubs of bikers showed up along with several independents to show their support for Rex and the

children. Proof that there is strength in numbers and together the biker community helps with the pain and suffering of our people and our communities. These are men and women who will pick you up when you fall, they will embrace you, feed you, clothe you, and set you on the road again. The bond among the clubs is strong and unbreakable. I am proud to call myself a biker. I am proud to be associated with some truly fine friends and clubs right here in San Antonio. As far as the four horsemen, they talked for an hour to the little girls’ father. Now he is buying a bike and joining them for a ride sometime. All I can say is keep the rubber side down and the chrome side up my friends and squeeze me til I squeal. I hope to see you at the next benefit.

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EVENT Page 18

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Event Listing

The MOST comprehensive motorcycle event listing published in the State of Texas!

OCTOBER m

1st Annual Poker Run Grace-Point-Life.com Denton Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

Party Hardcore SJHR.org Conroe Region: Piney Woods Metro: Houston Pass the Pig Ride AEHOG.com Corinth Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth Wilbarger County Breast Cancer Fun Ride WlbargerCancerRide.com Vernon Region: Panhandle Metro: Wichita Falls

Beaters Motorcycle Swap Meet Beaters.co Silsbee Region: Piney Woods Metro: Beaumont

Annual Veterans Motorcycle Rally on the Guadalupe Facebook.com/pages/Veterans-Motorcycle-Rallyon-the-Guadalupe/250980448340055 New Braunfels Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio

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7th Annual UMME Thanksgiving Basket Turkey Run TempleTurkeyRun.com Temple Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Killeen/Temple

Chicken Bread Days Antique/Classic Car, Truck & Bike Show 817.296.6246 Bowie Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Wichita Falls Coal Miner Heritage Festival Motorcycle Show & Poker Run BridgeportChamber.org Bridgeport Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

Benefit to Raise Reward Money Facebook.com/events/314153888682885/ Tyler Region: Piney Woods Metro: Tyler

Custom & Classic Car & Bike Show CalvarySanMarcos.com San Marcos Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio Cycles for a Cure Fun Run CyclesForACure.com Hurst Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth Denison Fall Festival Motorcycle Show & Ride 903.465.9087 Denison Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Sherman/Denison

18th Annual Stevie Ray Vaughan Remembrance Ride & Concert SRVRideAndConcert.org Dallas Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth DFW Ride for Kids PBTFUS.org Dallas Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

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Mistletoe Market Club-BellaVita.org Pearland Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston Women… ride out for a holiday shopping experirence at beautiful Bella Vita in Pearland (1548 N Riviera Circle, Pearland, 281.464.3150). Hours are 10am-4pm. Admission is only $1 to shop your hearts out with vendors offering jewelry, clothing and accessoris, baby items, cosmetics, perfurmes, home décor, food products, yard art, candles and many home made/home craft items you can only get at a small market venue.

AMA Pro XR1200 Big Kahuna New Orleans AMAProRacing.com Avondale, LA

Wounded Warrior Ride (Dallas to Galveston) 972.467.5203 Garland Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

3rd Annual Fun Run/Dart Across Texas GuardiansOfGraceFunRun.weebly.com Allen Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

Take Back Texas Rally TakeBackTexasRally.com Axtell Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Waco Lone Star Bike Nights LoneStar925.com DFW Area Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth It’s a roaming bike night! Randy James of Lone Star 92.5 hosts an every Thursday bike night at various locations around town. Visit LoneStar925.com for information about upcoming bike nights. Proudly sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

Continued on on Page Page 26... 29... Continued October 2012

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EVENTS

The Hot Rally TheHotRally.com Lost Prairie Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

White Buffalo Bikefest WhiteBuffaloBikefest.com Snyder Region: Panhandle Metro: Abilene

Let’s Ride for Candice APrayerForCandice.com Houston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

3rd Annual Sputnik Memorial Run Facebook.com/events/271724202932109/ Point Blank Region: Piney Woods Metro: Houston

NTNOA Lake O’ The Pine Ralley NTNOA.org Jefferson Region: Piney Woods Metro: Longview

Texoma ABATE Real Fun Poker Run TexasABATE.com Bells Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Sherman/Denison

2nd Annual Frogs for Freedom Ride UDTSeal.org Bandera Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio

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Lone Star Bike Nights LoneStar925.com DFW Area Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth It’s a roaming bike night! Randy James of Lone Star 92.5 hosts an every Thursday bike night at various locations around town. Visit LoneStar925.com for information about upcoming bike nights. Proudly sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

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Myrtle Beach Fall Rally MyrtleBeachBikeWeek.com Myrtle Beach, SC

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9th Annual Keepers Car Club Car & Bike Show 325.529.3679 Clyde Region: Panhandle Metro: Abilene American Heroes Street Meet & Rod Run BrazosValleyStreetBeasts.com College Station Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Bryan/College Station

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20th Annual Johnson City Pig Roast JCPigRoast.org Johnson City Region: Hill Country Metro: Austin

2nd Annual Bayou Bash Gypsy-MC.org Baytown Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

11th Annual Run for the Border SCRCDelRio.com Del Rio Region: Big Bend Metro: San Antonio

Boo Benefit BooBenefit.org Jefferson Region: Piney Woods Metro: Tyler 2011 saw a record year - $253,000 raised for burn victims. Join them again this year for vendors, bands, beautiful rides, and more! Over 50,000 bikes take over the small town of Jefferson each year – all to help “Boo” raise money for burn victims. Boo, a burn victim himself, started the ride/event in 1997 and it has continued growing and growing. Help him make a difference! Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

Iron Cuff Rally IronCuffRally.com La Grange Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Austin

1st Annual Fall Ball PhoenixMCSpringtown.com Milsap Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

SPI Bikefest SPIBikefest.com South Padre Island Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Brownville/Harlingen

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EVENTS

Do It To It Bike Rally Bike-Rally-At-The-Barn.com Whitesboro Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Sherman/Denison

Roadrunner Classic Swap Meet RoadrunnerSwapMeet.com Kempner Region: Hill Country Metro: Killeen/Temple

6th Annual Eagle Pass Motorcycle Rally 830.421.7239 Eagle Pass Region: South Texas Metro: San Antonio

Team Kendall Buddy Ride 936.676.6505 Nacogdoches Region: Piney Woods Metro: Tyler A Ride to Raise Money for the East Texas Down Syndrome Group as part of their Annual Buddy Walk. The ride leaves Texas Thunder Harley Davidson in Nacogdoches at 8:00 am and arrives in Longview at approximately 9:45. T- shirts and patches available for purchase. Cost per bike is $10.00. For more info contact Shawn Farrell at 936-676-6505 or email laredo33@yahoo.com.

12th Annual Biketoberfest RiversideRanch.net WARNING: Adult Content Elmendorf Region: South Texas Metro: San Antonio

Ride for Trails Rally Ride4Trails.com Terlingua Region: Big Bend Metro: El Paso

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Jurel’s Freedom Ride JurelsFreedomRide.com Boerne Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio Justin Hunger Run Sites.google.site/JustinHungerRun2012 Justin Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth MOTORMET Car & Bike Show MotorMet.org Houston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston Sam’s Jam V RidersForTheCure.org Houston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

The Hog Pound Bike Night TheHogPound.com Wimberley Region: Hill Country Metro: Austin Join the folks at The Hog Pound (13710 Ranch Road 12; 512.847.3444) every 2nd Thursday through October for an evening of fun; 6-8pm. Live music, drinks, door prizes, and more. Bring non-perishable food items for the Hays County Food Bank. In fact, donations are accepted any time during normal business hours. Proudly sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

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EvenT Listing

Titty Twister Benefit ChromeDivas.com New Braunfels Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio Wheels N Thrill Auto & Bike Show WheelsNThrills.com Dickinson Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston Alvin Blue Santa Motorcycle Ride AlvinBlueSanta.org Alvin Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston Police escorted ride benefiting Alvin area children. $25/bike; passengers no charge. Starts and ends at the National Oak Park (105 S Gordon, behind the library). Auction, raffles, food, vendors, event merchandise and bike show. $10 donation entry to win a DPMS Oracle semi-automatic rifle package, Texas Star 8-gun cabinet, a James Avery necklace or a BBQ pit. Visit website or call 281.331.2583 for information. Rain Date: October 21, 2012. Lewisville Motorcycle Swap Meet TexasScooter.com Lewisville Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth Admission only $8 adults; $5 kids (5-14) & Military; Kids under 5 FREE. Lots of vendors! Booth space goes fast, so reserve today. Only $40 for 10x10 space and includes one admission. Mail payment to Texas Scooter Times, 124 West Main St, Itasca, TX 76055. Payment must be received one week in advance. Walk-in vendors are welcome, but beware… reserve early to guarantee space. Bikin’ for Babies CleburnePC.com Cleburne Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth Thunder Roads Texas BIKE NIGHTs ThunderRoadsTexas.com Houston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston One Night – Two Parties! Our monthly (third Thursday) biker party with a few hundred of our closest friends! Hosted by NORTH: Concert Pub North (2470 FM 1960 West, Houston, 77068) and SOUTH: Jackie’s Brickhouse (1053 Marina Bay Dr/ FM 2094, Kemah 77565; just west of Highway 146). Co-hosted by the Outlaw Dave Show. Live music with no cover or drink minimum, drink specials (big ass beer night!), vendors, stage games, door prizes, and MORE! Reserved motorcycle-only parking, with plenty of cage parking, too. Rain or shine… the BEST and longest continually held bike night in Houston!

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EVENT

EVENTS Page 22

October 2012

ThunderRoadsTexas.com

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29th Annual Halloween Run Facebook.com/events/171709069624986/ Mathis Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Corpus Christi Thunder in Omaha 903.452.2900 Omaha Region: Piney Woods Metro: Longview 11th Annual Halloween Rally BikersForBikers.com Magnolia Region: Piney Woods Metro: Houston

4th Annual Gearheads Open Car & Bike Show BudaGearheads.com Buda Region: Hill Country Metro: Austin 4th Annual Toy Run 512.787.1623 Lockhart Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Austin BARK Annual Poker Run BarkRescue.org Clifton Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Waco

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2nd Annual METRO Blue Santa Motorcycle Ride & Show MetroBlueSanta.org Stafford Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

October 20 2nd Annual Dart Fun Run RedKnightsTX4.com San Leon Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

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Petrolia Festival & Motorcycle Fun Run 940.524.3711 Petrolia Region: Panhandle Metro: Wichita Falls

Halloween Biker Bash PorkChopsIcehouseBar.com Point Blank Region: Piney Woods Metro: Houston Harleyween Bash LakeSomervilleRally.com Somerville Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Bryan/College Station

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Ride TheHogPound.com Wimberley Region: Hill Country Metro: Austin 1st Annual Tommy Moose Run Run 817.863.6174 Arlington Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

West TX Crude Bike Rally & Chili Cook Off 325.450.3215 Big Lake Region: Hill Country Metro: San Angelo

Nun Run 2012 713.652.3100 Houston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

2nd Annual Bikers Against Diabetes Ride Diabetes.org/SouthTXBADRide Boerne Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio 7th Annual Trunk or Treat YesterdaysTexas.com Bridgeport Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth Fire & Iron Wurst Run 830.456.6061 New Braunfels Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio LOST, Inc. Pyrate Ball Facebook.com/events/484596324884921/ Baytown Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston Odd Fellows Custom Car & Bike Show 817.690.2065 Fort Worth Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth 20th Annual Teddy Bear Ride CACCollinCounty.org Frisco Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

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October 2012

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EVENT

Bikers Adult Rally BikersAdultRally.com Alvarado Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

Roll the Bones Rally II RollTheBonesRally.com Hamilton Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Waco 3rd Annual Pumpkin Head Run PumpkinHeadRun.com Spring Branch Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio Raffles - Live Band – Vendors; Starting and ending at The Shade Tree Saloon and Grill; First bike out 10:30am, Last bike in 4:00pm; Entry fee: $10.00, includes a ticket for the “Runners only drawing”. Runners get an extra drawing ticket for: Wearing a costume, painting their faces like a pumpkin, or making extra stops on the run. Please consider the operation of your bike when choosing a costume. Benefiting: Comal County Crisis Center and The Guardians of the Children-Hill Country Chapter. For Vendor Booths or more information call Cricket at 210-445-2477. Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

Bikers Against Breast Cancer Fundraiser Facebook.com/events/361374993941889/ Pasadena Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

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Harvest Classic European & Vintage Motorcycle Rally HarvestClassic.org Luckenbach Region: Hill Country Metro: Austin

Benefit for Fallen Riders ALR393.com Cleveland Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

4th Annual Nactoberfest Facebook.com/events/261450653963703/ Nacogdoches Region: Piney Woods Metro: Tyler

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Biketoberfest Biketoberfest.com Daytona, FL

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May 2012

1 Our Editor, Shelly’s Birthday

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July 2012

WEDNESDAY

Lone Star Bike Night DFW Area

THURSDAY

5 AMA Pro XR1200 Big Kahuna New Orleans October 5-7

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Mistletoe Market Ride with Shelly Pealrand

13 Team Kendall Buddy Ride Nacogdoches

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Alvin Blue Santa

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North: Concert Pub North South: Jackieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brickhouse

Lone Star Bike Night DFW Area

Pumpkin Head Run Spring Branch

Stormy Daniels Pre-Halloween Party Houston

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Motorcycle Swap Meet Lewisville

Motorcycle Ride Alvin

November 2012

Dia de Los Muertos Ride Wimberley

Boo Benefit October 12-14 * Jefferson

A GREAT THING ABOUT TEXAS ... Fritos, corn dogs and, onion rings originated in Texas.

Lone Star Bike Night DFW Area

Wimberley

Loading Dock Grand Re-Opening Party Galveston

EVENT

EVENTS

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

October 2012

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EVENT

EvenT Listing

14th Annual Cross Timbers Toy Run 817.64805027 Stephenville Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth 20th Annual Veterans Day Run TexasVNVMC.com Selma Region: South Texas Metro: San Antonio Cruzin’ for Christ 254.662.0165 Mooreville Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Waco Kennedale High School PTA Car & Bike Show 817.313.9499 Kennedale Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

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Outlaw Dave Ranch Ride OutlawNation.us Houston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston Police escorted ride from Stubb’s Cycles (4400 Telephone Road, Houston) to the Lone Star Rally. Registration begins at 8:30 with KSU 11am. Leading the ride, Charlie “Jax” Hunnam from the Sons of Anarchy. Supporting the Stevens & Pruett Ranch (*affiliated with the Wounded Warrior Project). BE A PART of HISTORY. Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

Motorcycle Swap Meet TexasScooter.com Humble Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston Held at the Humble Civic Center (8233 Will Clayton Pkwy, Humble, 77338). Admission only $8 adults; $5 kids (5-14) & Military; Kids under 5 FREE. Lots of vendors! Booth space goes fast, so reserve today. Only $40 for 10x10 space and includes one admission. Mail payment to Texas Scooter Times, 124 West Main St, Itasca, TX 76055. Payment must be received one week in advance. Walk-in vendors are welcome, but beware… reserve early to guarantee space.

St Valetine’s Day Massacre Rally Massacre Rally.com Hondo Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio 36th Annual St. Valentine’s Day Massacre hosted by Alamo City Gypsy MC. We’re returning to our roots and heading back to Hondo, TX! Come join us at the Hondo City Park and Fairgrounds located at 733 FM Rd 462 N. Plenty of camping and room for self-contained RV’s. Over 45 food and merchandise vendors. Run Pins for the first 1000. 1st Annual Jalapeño Eating Contest. For info visit our website or call (210) 601-1932. Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

EVENTS

Lone Star Campgrounds LoneStarCampground.com Hitchcock Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston This year, Galveston has banned RV camping on the Seawall during the rally and there aren’t many campgrounds on the Island. Blowout to the rescue! He’s taking over the Galveston County Fairgrounds in Hitchcock, just a short ride up from the Rally. And… he’s throwing a party each evening, with live bands and a 21-and-up party atmosphere. Book early. Online registration is OPEN! Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

Lone Star Motorcycle Rally LoneStarRally.com Galveston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston We’ll be roaming the rally snapping shots. Watch our Facebook page to find out where we are and see if you can catch us! Charlie “Jax” Hunnam from The Sons of Anarchy will be on-hand signing autographs and taking pictures. Tons of vendors, cruising down the seawall, revving down The Strand ($10 parking pass required), great bars, various rides around town, Rats Hole Bike Show, tattoo shops & contests, live music, bike giveaway, celebrity bike builders, and MORE! Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

Three Sisters Rally ThreeSistersRally.net Camp Wood Region: Hill Country Metro: San Antonio The Party Is ON! Registration is open NOW! Activities include Veterans’ Honor Ceremony, Thursday Night Pot Luck, organized rides, live music, games, vendors, food, contests, and raffles. All at the NEW Three Sisters Lodging and Event Center on beautiful Nueces River. Online Registration only $20 for the

FEB 8-10

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About Our Event Listing: Basic Event listings are FREE. Upgrade to Premium Listing for only $15/event. Send your event to: events@ thunderroadstexas.com. Deadline: 10th of the month prior to publication. Thunder Roads Texas does not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided and cannot be held liable. Things change, there may be typos, and weather happens. So before you climb on your steed and ride to one of these events, contact the organizers and verify the latest information. For space reasons, not all events are included in this printed list. A full list can be found on our website. October 2012

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ON THE COVER

A Legendary Ride... a Texas-sized Cause! I

n May 1998, Charles “Boo” Chaler was involved in a welding accident that resulted in severe burns over 95% of his body. He is an avid rider that was out of commission during recovery. A small group of his friends got together and started a benefit in his honor, while he was being treated. The money was given to Boo and his wife, Patsy. They, in turn, donated it the Percy Johnson Burn Foundation, specifically for the “Camp I’m Still Me”. Every June, Camp I’m Still Me hosts burn survivors ages 4-17. The campers enjoy a variety of activities with counselors and staff that include doctors, nurses, physical therapists, social works, firefighters, and adult burn survivors. In 2008, the Boo Benefit has also made an annual donation to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children at Galveston (also known as the Shriner’s Burn Hospital). Since that first event, Boo and his friends have hosted the Boo Benefit. It has continued to grow, year after year, starting with that small group of friends hosting a small benefit to seeing more than 30,000 attendees over the last couple of years. And each year, the annual amount raised for the Percy Johnson Burn Foundation now exceeds $250,000 (2011). This is year number 15… and believe it or not, it’s still growing!

In 2003, the Percy Johnson Burn Foundation recognized the efforts of the Chalers and their friends, by naming a house near the LSU Health Burn Union after them, the Chaler-Rods House. “Rods” recognizes the Red River Street Rod Association, another significant benefactor of the Foundation. The house provides lodging for relatives of patients from out-of-town who are being treated at the burn unit, providing a “home away from home”.

EVENT

The small, historic town of Jefferson opens their arms and gladly welcomes this throng of bikers for a weekend in October (this year, October 12-14). Normally, this small town boasts around 2,100 residents. If you haven’t been to Sturgis (or can’t get there for one reason or another), this comes real close in “feel”. Bikes double-and-triple parked up and down the old historic red brick roads of downtown. Many of the awards and announcements take place on the Jefferson County Courthouse steps. Retailers and restaurants in the area enjoy a great increase in business. Motorcycle-related vendors of all kinds join in the fun, creating a shopping mecca for bikers that takes up about eight square blocks (bring good walking shoes!). On Friday, Boo leads a ride around the beautiful Piney Woods around Jefferson. Friday night bikers enjoy a “Biker Ball” (low-key, but lots of fun). And Saturday, all hell breaks loose as the poker run takes place, shopping is at its height, and the annual giveaway (the highlight of the rally) of a Harley-Davidson with trailer, donated by Diamond C Trailers. This year, it’s a 2012 Ultra Classic Electra Glide. Anyone can purchase tickets (online at BooBenefit.org), need not be present to win. Tickets are $20/each or six for $100. Also during the weekend bike show, tattoo contest, live bands all weekend on multiple stages, and bike game. Online pre-registration for the poker is over, but raffle tickets for the bike and trailer can be purchased up to the event, and onsite registration is available. Lodging is scarce, especially this late in the year, so be prepared to ride about 30-45 minutes each way. Jefferson itself is a great historic town to visit, even at other times of the year. It is also one of the most haunted, with ghost tours galore. Visiting Jefferson is like traveling back in time… well, when there aren’t tens-of-thousands of modern steel horses up and down the road! It is also the Bed & Breakfast Capital of East Texas, with hundreds of small B&Bs around the area. The Boo Benefit is one of the best rallies in Texas… with one of the greatest stories behind its start. 100% of the proceeds are donated, with the Boo Benefit only covering the expenses of the rally. All workers of the rally are volunteers, with Boo and Patsy at the forefront and crazy busy! Thunder Roads Texas has sponsored this rally for the last three years. We are very proud of our participation in such a fine event an cause.

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Left: “Boo” and Patsy Chaler; Rest are pictures by Ricky Neil, Bob Cooney, Jason English, and Reed Helicopters - from previous Boo Benefits.

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T RT ’ s L o n e S t a r L o o p

RIDE

he route this month is a long circuitous route starting and ending at the Lone Star Rally on Galveston Island. Time in the seat of about 3.75 hours totals 140 miles. Included here is some history of the area, a highlight of some of the attractions along the way, and a few watering holes on the route that we often frequent here in our home town. First, let’s talk a little about the Island itself. Galveston was named for Bernardo de Gálvez, a Spanish colonial governor and general. However, one of the most known early settlers of the area is Jean Lafitte. He and his brother, Pierre, agreed to act as spies for Spain during the Mexican War of Independence. Pierre stayed in New Orleans while Jean moved to Galveston and founded the pirate colony of Campeche, then a part of Spanish Texas. Lafitte developed Galveston Island into a smuggling base. One of the main commodities he dealt in was slaves. After one of his captains attacked an American merchant ship, the USS Enterprise was sent to remove him from the Gulf of Mexico. He agreed to leave without a fight, burning the town behind him. Today, all that is left of the colony is the remnants of his headquarters, Maison Rouge, located on 1417 Harborside Drive (not far from The Strand area of the Rally).

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

There are only three ways on and off the Island. One is from the Bluewater Highway (see our November 2009 Monthly Ride Map). This is a toll bridge at San Luis Pass, at the Western end of the Island. The Bolivar Ferry connects the Eastern end of the Island to the Bolivar Peninsula, which will be addressed later Loading Dock in this article. The main route onto the Island is the Galveston Causeway, which spans the Intracoastal Waterway, connecting Galveston to the Mainland. The original causeway was built in 1912 and carried both rail and automobile traffic. A new causeway was built in 1939 to carry auto traffic, leaving the 1912 bridge for rail traffic. The current causeway was begun in 2003 and completed in November, after a delay caused by Hurricane Ike. The railway bridge is now being updated. Progress can be seen while crossing the Causeway. Now to the map… take Broadway North, over the Galveston Causeway. Watch for the Highway 146 exit to the right (toward Texas City). Continue on 146 until you hit FM 646/16th Street in Bacliff. Here, we’ll veer off the map just a little to go down to one of Houston’s favorite biker haunts, Noah’s Ark Bar & Grill (4438 Boulevard Street; NoahsArkBarAndGrill.com). Take FM 646 until it dead

MAP

Noah’s Ark, Bacliff ends and turns left at the water. Two blocks down is Noah’s Ark. Overlooking Galveston Bay, it’s a great place to hang. Try the Hot Too, Bacliff Mermaids and Oyster Shooters! The Mermaids are shrimp wrapped in bacon, battered, and fried… yum! The Oyster Shooter is basically a shot of Bloody Mary with a raw oyster. If you like roasted oysters, we recommend Gilhooley’s in San Leon (South on 646 to the water’s edge). They have the absolute best oysters in Houston, cold (and cheap) beer, and an outdoor patio great for relaxing. Back to our map, continuing north on Highway 146 just a short way. On the right at Reppert Street is the Loading Dock Too (3505 Highway 146; LoadingDockToo.com). It used to be Mother’s Speakeasy and is located behind XTC Boutique. This is a great biker hangout! Big Dawg keeps adding on and updating to provide the best of entertainment, food, and drink. During the rally, they’ll feature live music and great drink specials.

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T RT ’ s Lo n e Sta r Loo p

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sights on this route is the Fred Hartman Bridge. It spans the entrance to the Houston Ship Channel from Galveston Bay. It was named for the editor and publisher of the Baytown Sun from 1950 to 1974 and is the longest cablestayed bridge in Texas. Completed in 1995, it replaced the Baytown Tunnel that had to be removed in order to deepen the Houston Ship Channel to accommodate larger ships.

Jackie’s Brickhouse, Kemah

Fred Hartman Bridge, Baytown

From here, back to Highway 146… before crossing the Kemah Bridge, there’s the famous Kemah Boardwalk offering food, drink, and amusement park rides. But we continue on up 146 toward Baytown. One of the magnificent

The next part of the ride is a bit of a stretch, so make sure your tanks are topped off and bellies full. Continue on Highway 146 to the Grand Parkway/Highway 99. Exit Cedar Boulevard and take a right on FM 1405. Continue down to Tri-City Beach Road/FM 2354 and take a left. This takes you along a nice waterside road along Trinity Bay… a little more scenic than remaining on the Grand Parkway. This road turns into South Cotton Lake Road/FM 180 and carries you to I-10/East Freeway. Here, head East toward Beaumont. Take Highway 61 exit and go right. This road turns into FM 562, then Smith Point Road. The road will ‘T’, with Smith Point continuing to the right and Whites Ranch Road/FM 1985 to the left; go left. The road dead ends at Highway 124 where you will go right and continue on Highway 124. This takes us onto the Bolivar Peninsula at High Island. The Bolivar Peninsula is a narrow strip of land on the coast. It stretches for 27 miles, with the widest point only 3.5 miles wide. Although classified as a peninsula, it’s actually a barrier island. This small community was splashed all over the news after Hurricane Ike basically

obliterated everything on the island; the before and after photos are incredible. The name, High Island, comes from the large salt dome under the area. The dome rises to an elevation of around 38 feet, giving it the highest elevation of any point on the Gulf Coast. This area is best known for bird watching, with the Anahuac, McFadden, and Moody National Wildlife Refuges; and the Houston Audubon Society operates four bird sanctuaries nearby. The best time of year is spring (April through mid-May) to catch a wide variety of migrating birds in vast numbers. At the water, catch Highway 87 South toward Galveston. Take the Bolivar Ferry, returning to Galveston Island. Now for some of our favorite watering holes before returning to The Strand area of the Rally. First up on the Seawall, at 30th Street is the Poop Deck. This is a very small bar, but a local favorite. Just a couple blocks down is The Spot. Lots of bike parking, especially during the rally, with really good “beachy” food. Continue down the Seawall, onto FM 3005. On the left is Woody’s Beach Bar. It will be full of bikes! They’ll have great live music and a balcony that reaches

RIDE

MAP

Continuing on Highway 146, again, just a short way, we’ll veer off course again for stop at our newest Thunder Roads Texas BIKE NIGHT location, Jackie’s Brickhouse (1053 Marina Bay Drive; JackiesBrickhouse.com). Take a left on Marina Bay Drive/FM 2094, before crossing the Kemah Bridge. On the left about a mile up, you can’t miss it. It’s another live music venue place with great food and drink specials. If you happen to be around on the third Thursday of any month, we’ll be there partying down for BIKE NIGHT!

Just after crossing the bridge, take the exit on the right onto Business 146. About two miles down on the right side is Rocky’s Pelican Junction. It was one of the haunts of Mean Gene Kelton (1953-2010), who resided in Baytown.

Bird Watching on High Island

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ThunderRoadsTexas.com

DEALERS/SHOPS City Line Cycles 1006 Center St Deer Park, TX 77536 281.479.0900 www.citylinecycles.com Harley-Davidson of Kingwood 111 Northpines Dr Kingwood, TX 77339 281.358.0457 www.kingwoodharley.com

Loading Dock, Galveston out over the Gulf water… just beautiful and fun. Back to the Rally and one of our favorite haunts… located on Post Office/25th Street, just a few blocks from The Strand, is The Loading Dock (504 25th Street; LoadingDockGalveston.com). Big Dawg’s original location will be sporting live music Friday and Saturday night, with Victim closing both nights down. The famous Boots N Bikinis Nightlife Rodeo… complete with Spur Girls, mechanical bull, DJ music, and all kinds of contests to keep the crowd busy. A reminder that the Lone Star Rally will have a second venue set up on the Seawall. In previous events, the Boulevard was closed to traffic for a few blocks. So keep this closure in mind as you travel around the Island. Luckily, all roads run parallel, though some blocks have been combined, creating “start & stop” streets, but it’s still not that hard to detour around the Rally site.

Here is a mini-directory of our advertisers in the Houston metro area; shops, dealers, and watering holes. Check them out!

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Potterosa Cycles & ATVs 19447 FM 1485 New Caney, TX 77357 832.971.3728 www.potterosa.net San Jacinto Harley-Davidson 3636 E Sam Houston Pkwy South Pasadena, TX 77505 281.991.4275 www.sanjacintohd.com Stubbs 59 Powersports 10430 Southwest Frwy Houston, TX 77074 713.772.7771 www.stubbs59.com Stubbs Cycles 4436 Telephone Rd Houston, TX 77087 713.644.7535 www.stubbscycles.com Stubbs Harley-Davidson 4400 Telephone Rd Houston, TX 77087 713.644.7535 www.stubbshd.com

BARS/RESTAURANTS Iron Hawg Saloon 6109 E FM 1462 Rosharon, TX 77583 281.595.2121 http://ironhawgsaloon.com

Tommaso’s Italian Restaurant 507 N Gordon St Alvin, TX 77511 281.331.6262 www.tomasositaliangrill.com West of the Brazos 23220 Hwy 36 Damon, TX 77430 979.72.3100 www.WestoftheBrazos.com FUN SHOPPING

Jackie’s Brickhouse 1053 Marina Bay Dr/FM 2094 (just west of Hwy 146) Kemah, TX 77565 832.864.2459 www.jackiesbrickhouse.com (on the map route)

Renegade Classics - The Woodlands 25602 I-45 North, #106 Spring, TX 77386 281.419.9600 www.renegadethewoodlands.com

Loading Dock Too 3505 Hwy 146, #300 (behind XTC Boutique) Bacliff, TC 77518 281.549.4789 www.loadingdocktoo.com (on the map route)

AFL Motorcycle Camping Trailers 905 East Archer Rd Baytown, TX 77521 832.695.0077 www.afltrailers.com

Noah’s Ark Bar & Grill 4438 Boulevard St Bacliff, TX 77518 281.339.2895 www.noahsarkbarandgrill.com (on the map route) The Loading Dock 504 25th St Galveston, TX 77550 409.765.5155 http://loadingdockgalveston.com (on the map route) The Old Trading Post 9903 FM 2759 Richmond, TX 77469 281.545.8064 www.otpboothtx.com

MISCELLANEOUS

Blowout’s Lone Star Campgrounds #10 Jack Brooks Park Highway 6 Hitchcock, TX 77563 832.768.4345 www.lonestarcampground.com (on the map route) Double Action CHL 3403 Arromanches Spring, TX 77388 281.728.6565 www.doubleactionchl.com Stitches (custom seats) 1308 Hwy 6 South Houston, TX 77077 281.558.8572 The Overnight Bunkhouse Bed & Kitchen 13132 Highway 90 North Singleton, TX 77831 936.581.1699

RIDE

There will be around 500,000 bikers converging on the Island that weekend. So please ride safe, ride smart, and always be aware of what’s going on around you. We hope you enjoy your trip and this ride!

Mancuso Harley Davidson - Crossroads 12710 Crossroads Park Dr Houston, TX 77065 281.970.9700 www.mancusocrossroads.com

Tugs Cycles 19529 County Rd, #2 Brazoria, TX 77422 979.798.6061

MAP

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

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Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

October 2012

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ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Want to see YOUR mug in our mag? Send pics to Shelly@ThunderRoadsTexas.com.

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

October 2012

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Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.

Why Pumpkins Are Better Than Men 1. Every year you get a brand new crop to choose from. 2. No matter what your mood is, pumpkins are always ready to greet you with a smile. 3. One usually makes a better pie. 4. They are always on the doorstep there waiting for you! 5. If you don’t like the way he looks, you just carve up another face. 6. If he starts smelling up your place, you can just throw him out. 7. From the start you know a pumpkin has an empty, mush filled head to begin with. 8. A pumpkin is turned on (lit-up) only when you want him to be. Things we’ve learned from horror films.... When it appears that you have killed the monster, NEVER check to see if it’s really dead. It isn’t. If you find that your house is built upon or near a cemetery, had previous inhabitants who went mad or committed suicide or died in some horrible fashion, or had inhabitants who performed satanic practices in your house… move immediately.

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October 2012

Do not search the basement, especially if the power has just gone out. If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language which they should not know, or if they speak to you using a voice other than their own, shoot them immediately. It will save you a lot of grief in the long run. NOTE: It will probably take several rounds of silver bullets to kill them, possibly a wooden stake through the heart, so be prepared. When you have the benefit of a group of people, NEVER pair off and go it alone. As a general rule, don’t solve puzzles that open portals to Hell. If you’re searching for something that caused a noise and find out that it’s just the cat, leave the room immediately if you value your life. A woman whose husband often came home drunk decided to cure him of the habit. One Halloween night, she put on a devil suit and hid behind a tree to intercept him on the way home. When her husband came by, she jumped out and stood before him with her red horns, long tail, and pitchfork.

“Who are you?” he asked. “I’m the Devil,” she responded. “Well, come on home with me,” he said, “I married your sister.” WAYS TO CONFUSE TRICK-OR-TREATERS After you give them candy, hand the trick-or-treaters a bill. When you answer the door, look at the trick-or-treaters, act shocked and scared, and start screaming your head off. Slam the door and run around the house, screaming until they go away. Insist that the trick-or-treaters each do ten push-ups before you give them any candy. Hand out menus to the trick-or-treaters and let them order their candy. Keep asking if anyone wants to see the wine list. Answer the door dressed as a pilgrim. Stare at the trick-ortreaters for a moment, pretend to be confused, and start flipping through a calendar. Instead of candy, give away coloured eggs. If anyone protests, explain that the eggs are the only thing you had left over from Easter.

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ThunderRoadsTexas.com

ALAN FOX BAND (AFB)

We’ve had the pleasure of seeing this group perform live at the Oldest Town in Texas (OTT) Rally (Nacogdoches) during its first year. These guys really rock the stage with good Heavy Texas Blues. They’re best known for their “twin guitar leads”, with Alan Fox (the group’s namesake) and Donnie Pendleton leading the way. This is an award winning band with the most recent going to Pendleton; the East Texas Guitarist of the Year 2012. Also in the band, Donny Hart (frontman/vocalist), Greg Cagle (vocals/bass), Terry Sayler (vocals/drums), and T-Wayne (keyboard). Their music contains wailing guitar solos and just downright great sound! Alan Fox started the band more than a decade ago. Alan left a voice scholarship at Stephen F Austin University to open for Stevie Ray Vaughn at the famed Crossroads in Nacogdoches. He moved to Shreveport and formed the Killer Beez, which became the college town favorite. In 2006, Pendleton and Hart joined up with Fox; in 2009, Cagle came aboard; Sayler joined when previous drummer, Moe Eldridge had to leave; and this year, T-Wayne joined the band. Over the last few years, the faces have changed and the group is now based out of Fort Worth, but the sound only continues to improve. AFB is a high-energy band. With lifetimes of experience behind each band member, they’ve become a Texas biker rally favorite, headlining at the OTT Rally, Rally in the Crater (Mt Enterprise), Party in the Pines (Gregg County), and Boo Benefit (Jefferson; see cover article, page …). Their sound can be heard in a variety of other festival settings such as the 45th Annual NFL Super Bowl Tail Gate Party in Fort Worth, T-Bone Walker Blues Festival, and The King Biscuit Blues Fest. Recognized as a premier Texas Blue band, AFB has opened for Foghat at the Alley Fest in Longview (2009) and a Memorial Concert with Point Blank in Dallas (2010). When talking with Fox, he is so thankful for the audiences that go out to the live shows to support the band. They recently had a homecoming in Longview, at the Levee. The band was “dancing on cloud from the feeling love in the room,” and the knowledge that everyone in the audience that evening was there solely to listen to the Alan Fox band. Fox also encourages everyone to “please support come out and support live music every chance you get.” In 2008, they released the CD, “JuJu Ear Rub”. It highlights the twin guitar leads, grounded by solid percussion and bass. This year, they released a single “Do Me (You’re the Only One), a heavy rocking blues that fans have come to expect. Their original song lyrics showcase either Fox’s powerful, raspy voice or Pendleton’s sweeter, smooth vocal style. Additionally, they mix in some of their favorite bands’ songs, such as “Jessica” by the Almond Brothers. Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 15, 2012 at the Boo Benefit in Jefferson to catch their show! You can listen/buy their music, get show dates and more information bout the band at AlanFoxBand.com.

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October 2012

ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Biker Friendly These businesses are SERIOUS about serving the Texas Motorcycle Community. The list is set up in business categories. Regional and Metro information is included. An “ * ” means the location is a Thunder Roads Texas distribution point. Visit ThunderRoadsTexas.com to find a full listing of distribution points. Tell them you saw them in Thunder Road Texas! Want to be on this list - visit our website or call 281.866.8149 for information.

Accessories & Parts * Stitches 1308 Hwy 6 South Houston, TX 77077 281.558.8572 Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

Bands & Entertainment BE THE FIRST! ONLY $149/YEAR http://ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Bars & Restaurants * Deanville Bar & Grill 1789 FM 60 S Deanville, TX 77852 979.535.7776 Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Bryan/College Station * Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop Bent Rim Grill 657 West Ranch Rd Leakey, TX 78873 830.232.6629 www.friocanyonmotorcycleshop.com www.bentrimgrill.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio * Headwaters Saloon 229 S Ranch Rd 783 Harper, TX 78631 830.377.5034 Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio * Hot Rods and Harleys Bar & Grill 13124 FM 306 Canyon Lake, TX 78133 830.864.2911 www.hotrodsandharleysbar.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio * Iron Hawg Saloon 6109 E FM 1462 Rosharon, TX 77583 281.595.2121 http://ironhawgsaloon.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston * Johnny O’s Ole House Tavern 9905 Camp Bowie West Fort Worth, TX 76116 817.874.2535 www.chulachaser.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

* Loading Dock, The 504 25th St Galveston, TX 77550 409.765.5155 http://loadingdockgalveston.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Cowboy’s Alamo City H-D 11005 IH 35 North San Antonio, TX 78233 800.397.7875 www.cowboysalamocityharley.com Region: South Texas Closest Metro: San Antonio

* Noah’s Ark Bar & Grill 4438 Boulevard St Bacliff, TX 77518 281.339.2895 www.noahsarkbarandgrill.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Custom Cycles Texas 14205 River Rd New Braunfels, TX 78132 210.846.1081 www.customcyclestexas.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio

* Rolling Thunder Bar & Grill 6441 County Rd 2173 Fluvanna, TX 79517 325.573.HAWG (4294) http://rollingthunderbarandgrill.com/Home_Page.php Region: Panhandle Closest Metro: Lubbock

* Cycle Heaven 3770 Hwy 69 N Lufkin, TX 75904 936.634.8404 www.cycleheaventx.com Region: Piney Woods Closest Metro: Tyler

* RPM’s Bar 26210 FM 2978 Magnolia, TX 77354 281.259.7789 Region: Piney Woods Closest Metro: Houston

* Harley-Davidson of Kingwood 111 Northpines Dr Kingwood, TX 77339 281.358.0457 www.kingwoodharley.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Tommaso’s Italian Restaurant 507 N Gordon St Alvin, TX 77511 281.331.6262 www.tomasositaliangrill.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston * West of the Brazos 23220 Hwy 36 Damon, TX 77430 979.742.3100 www.WestoftheBrazos.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston * Yankee’s Tavern 8703 Ada Oaks Ln Anderson, TX 77830 936.873.3314 www.yankeestavern.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Bryan/College Station

Dealerships & Shops * Collin County Choppers AKA Frisco Custom Cycles 6427 Main St Frisco, TX 75034 214.387.0650 www.collincountychoppers.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

* Harley-Davidson of Waco 4201 S Jack Kultgen Expy Waco, TX 76711 254-753-0393 www.hdwaco.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Waco * Hawgs N Dawgs Motorcycle Shop & Café 1333 SE Military Dr San Antonio, TX 78214 210.924.0203 www.HawgsNDawgs.com Region: South Texas Closest Metro: San Antonio * Javelina Harley-Davidson 29078 I-10 West Boerne, TX 78006 800-860-9696 www.javelinaharleydavidson.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio * Legacy Harley-Davidson 12100 W Hwy 80 East Odessa, TX 79765 800.788.6921 www.legacyh-d.com Region: Big Bend Closest Metro: Midland/Odessa

Continued on Page 44... October 2012

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Biker Friendly * Longhorn Harley-Davidson 2830 West I-20 Grand Parairie, TX 75052 972.988.1903 www.longhornhd.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Ft Worth * Mancuso Harley Davidson - Crossroads 12710 Crossroads Park Dr Houston, TX 77065 281.970.9700 www.mancusocrossroads.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston * Motorcycle Tire Shop 1917 S Hackberry San Antonio, TX 78210 210.533 BIKE (2453) http://motorcycletireshop.synthasite.com Region: South Texas Closest Metro: San Antonio

* Yamaha of San Antonio 15664 I-35 Selma, TX 78154 210.655.2625 http://www.kps-sa.com Region: South Texas Closest Metro: San Antonio

For the Girls * Coco & Duckie 20 E Main St Bellville, TX 77418 979.865.9393 www.CocoAndDuckie.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Houston GOT GREAT BIKER GIRL GEAR? ADVERTISE HERE! http://ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Insurance & Attorneys

* Phantom Rider Choppers 6535 West Hwy 46 New Braunfels, TX 78132 830.228.4606 www.phantomriderchoppers.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio

* Ball Insurance 416 S Main St Highlands, TX 77562 800.444.7014 www.ballins.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Potterosa Cycles & ATVs 19447 FM 1485 New Caney, TX 77357 281.689.0400 www.potterosa.net/ Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Farrar & Ball Law Firm; Law Tigers 1010 Lamar, Ste 1600 Houston, TX 77002 713.221.8300 www.lawtigers.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Southern Metal Choppers 11116 Middle Fiskville Rd, Ste E Austin, TX 78753 512.833.5044 www.southernmetalchoppers.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: Austin

* Insurance Lady Agency 642 W Rhapsody, Ste A San Antonio, TX 78216 210.403.2216 http://insuranceladyinc.com Region: South Texas Closest Metro: San Antonio

* Thunder Alley Cycles 416 NE Wilshire Blvd Burleson, TX 76028 817.295.0955 www.thunderalleycycles.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Ft Worth

Walker Texas Lawyer 1924 Portsmouth Houston, TX 77098 713.552.1117 www.walkertexaslawyer.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Tugs Cycles 19529 County Rd, #2 Brazoria, TX 77422 979.798.6061 Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston * Woods Cycle Country 1933 I-35 East New Braunfels, TX 78130 830.606.9828 www.woodscyclecountry.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio

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October 2012

Lodging & Campgrounds * D’Rose Inn & Cabins Highway 83/Market St Leakey, TX 78873 830.232.5246 www.droseinn.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio DUBL-C Guest House (Vacation Rentals by Owner) Kerrville area: located on Hwy 39 between Ingram & Hunt; Stay 2 Nights, get 3rd FREE 866.427.8374 www.vrbo.com/385945 Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio

... continued The Overnight Bunkhouse Bed & Kitchen 13132 Highway 90 North Singleton, TX 77831 936.395.2601 Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston * Three Sisters Rally & Lodge 751 River Road Camp Wood, TX 78833 www.ThreeSistersRally.net Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio

Motorcycle Towing Cyclone Cycle Rescue 1100 Crane Dr Euless, 76039 76039 817.308.9086 www.MotorcycleTowingTX.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth * Dragonstar Motorcycle Transportation PO Box 444 Bryan, TX 77806 281.935.8890 www.getaride.net Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Bryan/College Station

Riding Gear & Leather Goods * American Man Cave 18 E Main St Bellville, TX 77418 979.865.9383 www.american-man-cave.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Houston * Motorcycle Outpost, The 103 S College Westminster, TX 75409 972.838.8222 www.TheMotorcycleOutpost.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

Miscellaneous AFL Motorcycle Camping Trailers al444@yahoo.com 281.685.5814 Cell, 832.695.0077 www.afltrailers.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston Outlaw Dave Productions PO Box 25028 Houston, TX 77265 www.OutlawNation.us Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

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Get YOUR business on our list! ONLY $149/YEAR http://ThunderRoadsTexas.com ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

October 2012

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