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THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE OF IOWA
Letter from the Editor ................................... 4 Miss Iowa Rides a Harley ............................. 6 Long Distance Riding ................................... 9 Biker Friendly Listing .................................10 Hog Wild Rodeo ..........................................14 Bill of Rights .................................................16 CMA ..............................................................18 99 County Tour ............................................20 Road Ramblings...........................................23 Dubuque Ink & Art Expo ...........................25 Lunasee .........................................................27 Vintage Rally ................................................28 Calendar .......................................................32 Blessing of the Bikes ....................................34 Girls of Thunder ..........................................38 From the Woman’s Seat ..............................39 Will Ride to Eat............................................40 Military Rider ..............................................42 Riding in the Rain .......................................43 Dead in 5 Heartbeats ..................................44 Thunder Cam ...............................................48 Blast From the Past ......................................52 I’d Eat That ....................................................55 Joker’s Wild.................................................. 56 COIR .............................................................58 TRMI Bike Night Listing ............................60 TRMI Events Listing ...................................62
www.thunderroadsiowa.com P.O. Box 29 Kimballton, Iowa 51543 OWNER/EDITOR Vernon Schwarte (712) 249-5630 vernon@thunderroadsiowa.com
EVENT CORRESPONDENCE/SALES Eryka Driscoll Eastern Iowa 563-506-0389 eryka@thunderroadsiowa.com Susan Mast SC/SE Iowa 319-931-4546 susan@thunderroadsiowa.com Richard (Murph) and Annette Murphy West Central Iowa 641-524-4808 vizslaboots@yahoo.com Harv and Sue Hunter Central Iowa 515-205-7410 harv@thunderroadsiowa.com Bob Colbert Knoxville 515-579-1343 thomasrcolbert@yahoo.com David McCoy Mason City 641-420-1171 david@thunderroadsiowa.com Patricia Kemner Dubuque 563-580-3292 patricia@thunderroadsiowa.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Jeff Sigwarth Dubuque 563-451-9225 jeff@thunderroadsiowa.com
Nate Ullrich natanic@hotmail.com
Netty Kawecki Copy Editor
Craig & Lynnette Little-Will Ride to Eat craig@thunderroadsiowa.com
Humphrey Western Iowa He May Stop in to Say Hey
Tony Darveau Carroll Cycle Center tonypa@carrollcycle.com
All rights reserved. All content is covered by copyright and ownership of said right is retained by Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa. Photographs may be purchased on www.thunderroadsiowa.com Neither magazine or website materials may be reproduced, distributed, altered or posted to any other websites without the express written permission of Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa LLC. 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 Iowa Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa LLC, Thunder Publishing LLC. Publisher does not promote the abuse of alcohol or other drugs, advocate any unsafe practices, or encourage breaking of any laws.
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Darcy Ring 99 County Chic dring@thunderroadsiowa.com NATIONAL FOUNDERS Toni McCoy Shearon & Brian Shearon 1421 Chapmansboro Road Chapmansboro, TN 37035 Office: (615) 792-0040 Fax: (615) 792-7580 thunderroadsfounders@yahoo.com
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When out and about at some events recently, it became quite obvious that bikers just like to be around other bikers, and have a good time. Some of the coolest events have been plagued this year with terrible weather. Colder than normal temperatures, rain, and even snow on some earlier ones, but this did not stop the biker spirit from shining through. The hard core types have been out at the events and have had a blast despite what ol’ Ma Nature has thrown at us. It was just nice to see that the rain and cold will not kill the biker spirit, and that people still want to enjoy the life despite the lack of weather cooperation. July brings us a busy month as we are right in the heart of the riding season. There are so many events; you cannot throw a stick without hitting one! As we are out exercising our freedoms of the road, those in suits on the capital are trying to play around with a little of our freedom once again. There are some new things that have come up with trying to make a mandatory helmet law in Iowa, and the best bet is to stay informed, and support those that fight for our right to CHOOSE! ABATE of Iowa does just that, as well as many other things in the best interest of Iowa bikers, so support them when you can. You will see in this issue a membership form, so if you are not already, tear that out and mail it in with your dues and stand on the side of freedom and bikers’ rights. Strength in numbers will help us maintain free riding in Iowa and beyond.
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We would all like to thank the loyal readers of Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa for checking us out month after month. You are a large part of what makes this ride run, and we appreciate it greatly. It is no small task to make all this happen 12 times a year, but know that we appreciate you reading our pages and checking out our Facebook page. The crew at TRMI, or my Thunder Roads Family as I like to refer to them, busts their asses to make this thing what it is. We thoroughly enjoy being About Iowa, For Iowa, and From Iowa. If you see any of the staff at an event, more than likely with a camera in hand, stop and say hey, introduce yourself, and maybe even get a photo snapped that may be on our pages in a future issue. We would also like to shout out to our advertisers. They make this thing work and we greatly appreciate their support. Please check out the Biker Friendly Listing on Page 10-12 and hit them up early and often. There are also quite a few event ads of great events going on around Iowa, hit as many as you can and enjoy the biker life. Let them all know that Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa sent you. Get out there, ride when you can, and be safe. See you on the pavement! Vernon Quote of the Month: “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should!”
ON THE COVER The Midway Tavern in Soldier, Iowa is already gearing up for their Labor Day Bash. They are hosting their 15th Annual Soldier Valley Run/ BBQ/Concert. As you can see on the cover, there will be a ton of fun and excitement for all. On the bottom left hand corner of the cover is the Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary edition Super Glide Custom bike being raffled. Tickets are being sold for $100 each, with a total of only 250 being sold. The Raffle proceeds go to the Soldier Valley Fire and Rescue Departments. Drawing will be Sun September 1st at the event. For more information call The Midway Tavern, or go online to www.midwaytavernsoldier.com
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Meet Jordan Foster. Jordan learned from her father at an early age, that she could do anything she set her mind to; all she had to do was try. Well, Jordan hasn’t quit trying new things since then. She tried go-carts first, and then went on to dirt bikes. Of course, you know the next step is riding a Harley, and that came about when she started dating T-Bird at the age of 16. Her first ride on a Harley and she was hooked. We got to know Jordan through T-Bird, who is the son of one of our good brothers that Murph grew up with. So Jordan is now hooked and decides that she is going to enjoy her time on the back of her mans’ bike for a while before she gets her own. Discovering that she has a knack for photography, she decides to start a part-time business while working full-
Now, Jordan being the type who isn’t satisfied unless she’s trying something new decides she needs to take a different turn on the road of life and she enters a Miss Iowa Pageant! Of course she wins, go figger!! Jordan will be going to Florida in June for the next step in the pageant circuit. The pageant will be June 27th through the 30th; unfortunately it will not be televised, so we will have to wait for a phone call to let us know if she wins that one! I don’t know about y’all, but I can’t think of a better representative for Iowa than Jordan Foster! While Jordan doesn’t have
time at one of the local banks. JFoster Photography is doing okay right now, mostly weddings and family portraits, but she’s totally open to photographing pretty much anything. In the meantime, Jordan obviously didn’t have enough going on in her life, cuz’ she decides to restore a 1966 Coupe Mustang, which she then proceeded to paint hot pink! Yep, top to bottom, 6 - TRMI JULY 2013
Jordan tore into that Mustang and turned it into HER car!
her own bike yet, she said that was something that she definitely has on her To-Do List. If her bike turns out anything like her car, I’m betting it will be just as kick ass as her car is! The bike in the picture belongs to T-Bird, her fiancé, who also took the pictures of her on it for the article. Thanks Jordan for sharing with us! Annette Murhpy
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to go, take into account the fuel range for a tankful on your bike, as well as hours of operation of gas and food stops along the route. Nothing would be more of It seems that every biker has a different vision of what the a bummer than to pull up for fuel on the last leg of a journey perfect ride may be. Some like to go a few miles to the to find a closed station with no 24 hour fuel. Some cool local bike night, others like to run until the tank is in need programs will help you plan the miles, or a good ol’ folding of some fossil fuel, and others go the extra mile, literally. Iowa map works just fine. I never leave home without one! Long distance riding can be a very interesting endeavor, but it is not really for the faint of heart. There are many things that go into a long distance ride, but with some preparation, Now you need to prepare your motorcycle. Make sure that your oil and such is within service limits and you do a you can have an awesome time racking up the miles no matter what type of bike you ride. The topic for this article thorough inspection before the trip. Check the fluids, tires, lights and all the mechanical things that help you get to will be about how to hit 1,000 miles in a 24 hour period. where you are going. A break down that can be prevented The Iron Butt Association actually has some criteria for would be a giant disappointment. One thing to consider is doing such a run, and registering it and getting “credit”, how to give your throttle hand/arm a break occasionally. but for me it has always been about the ride and personal A throttle rocker or throttle lock can be a salvation for satisfaction of being able to complete the task at hand. an aching arm after tons of miles. Something that can The first time for hitting the 1K mark was a few years back occasionally just let you release muscle tension in that arm can help tremendously. Always be cautious using things and we did it as a pair. I was on my bagger, and Tina was on a Softail. We left home at O-Dark-Thirty, and that night like these, but for short periods for resting your arm, they lay down in Park City, Utah. That was quite the adventure are great. Some bikes have cruise, and those that do, won’t as our first distance ride, but would not trade the experience have a problem. for the world. Overall the trip was about 20 hours total, You will also need to make sure that you have all the gear with considerably less time than that actually riding. We knew it was not going to be an easy task, so we took breaks with you for the temperature, precipitation, and safety that you will need. Layered clothing, warm gear, rain gear, and when we fueled, stayed fed, stayed hydrated, and kept on even ear plugs can be helpful. Long hours of motor and task. Time during fuel stops to look around, walk, stretch, wind noise can take the wind out of your sails, so throw in and prepare was essential to our success. At one point we even about called it quits on the goal. We were at 984 miles everything you think you may need if you have room. and it was late at night, raining, and on a fresh asphalt curvy mountain road, but we held fast and completed the journey. In general, people do not maintain proper levels of hydration. We simply just do not drink enough water. Glad we did! Now when you throw hours of wind and hopefully the sun in that mix, we dehydrate rather rapidly. Make sure you When thinking about it, one of the first things to consider have a way to drink some plain old water on your journey. is how far have you actually ridden in a day in the past. If 100 miles has been your top day, you may want to consider You would be amazed how much water we lose through sweating and evaporation just going down the road. We sit working up to a 1,000/24 ride. Not that it cannot be done, on top of a hot motor, in the hot sun, and the wind rushing but the problem a lot of time with taking off on a distance past us, so it only stands to reason that we will dry out. ride is that you end up a long ways from home. It is not just a quick jaunt to get back to where you came from, like Keep the water in on the road and at every stop. Another thing is to keep some snacks you can chomp on while going riding home from the bike night down the street. Another down the road. Energy bars and beef jerky are a couple thought for doing something like this is what type of rider of my favorites. Munch away and then wash it down with are you? If you like to photograph everything on your trips, or sit for a meal and beverages at every stop, then you some water. Hit two birds with one stone there! may want to bow out of an endeavor of this magnitude. Now that you have planned and are all prepared for your A distance ride, endurance ride, long distance ride, or trip, head on out and enjoy your ride! Plan your ride, and whatever you care to call it requires a bit of stamina and a then stick to the plan. I hope to complete a couple of these modification of most peoples riding habits. rides this summer, so if you are interested in joining, shoot me an email to Vernon@thunderroadsiowa.com If you head Next thing is to actually plan your route and figure out where you are going. If you want to hit the mileage goal in out on a long distance ride of your own, let us know about the 24 hours, you will need to avoid routes with stop lights your adventure. and signs, towns, traffic, and any other possible delays. The miles! ack up the miles s! best way to hit the miles in the shortest amount of time is on Be safe! Rack interstates. Last fall we had a run that did a combination of major highways as well as interstates. The route did sort of Vernon a figure eight pattern, but never left the great state of Iowa. That ride was completed in 17 hours, so there was plenty of time to spare. We started and finished at the same spot, but that does not have to be the case, especially if you are going farther, or want to take the time to venture back and enjoy the sights. When figuring out where you are going
Long distance riding
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Biker Friendly Directory
It’s important for you to know who your friends are out on the road! The Biker Friendly Directory is a list of establishments throughout Iowa that want you to know that they’re here for YOU. Let them know that you saw them here in Thunder Roads. If you know a business that would like to advertise in Thunder Roads Iowa Biker Friendly Places, please email vernon@ thunderroadsiowa.com
Biker Accessories Backroads Biker Leather Shoppe 305 N Main Street Everly, Iowa 51338 712-834-2999 www.backroadsbikerleathershoppe.com
CoolBikerStuff.com 1224 Celebrity Drive Marcus, Iowa 51035 Mention TRMI at Events for a Free Gift
Follow us on Facebook!! Crispy’s Biker Apparel Cedar Rapids, Iowa Find Us On Facebook 319-241-0916 Hunter Detail Home of Hunter’s Bug Kutter Your amazing Complete Detail Cleaner. Find us at a Dealer, Event or Order Online
www.hunterdetail.com or 712-882-4243
Leather & Hawgs 316 Main, Hornick, Iowa 121 1st St, Soldier, Iowa leather@wiatel.net www.leatherandhawgs.com
Dealers Baxter Cycle 311 4th Street Marne, Iowa 51552 712-781-2351 www.baxtercycle.com Big Barn Harley Davidson I-80 Exit 135 Des Moines, Iowa 515-265-4444 www.bigbarnhd.com C&C Custom Cycle 130 E Lincoln Chariton, Iowa 50049 641-774-7494 www.cc-cycle.com Carroll Cycle Center 1327 Plaza Dr Carroll, Iowa 712-792-1610 www.carrollcycle.com
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Ossy’s Show Club 1215 Plaza Drive Carroll, Iowa 51401 712-792-9102
Dillon Brothers Harley-Davidson & Motorsports 174th and Maple Omaha, NE 68116 402-289-5556 www.dillon-brothers.com Dubuque Harley-Davidson 145 N. Crescent Ridge Dubuque, Iowa 52003 www.dubuqueharley-davidson.com 563-557-3735 Edwards Motorsports and RV’s 1010 34th Avenue Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501 712-366-8400 www.fullthrottleia.com
Food and Drink
Double R Bar and Grill Quick Ricks Rib Joint 209 East Erie (Highway 30) Missouri Valley, Iowa 51555 712-600-6441
B & M Bar and Grill 110 W. Main Street Panora, IA. 50216 641-755-2806 Open Daily @ 11:00 am
Doyle’s Place 403 East Street Shelby, Iowa 51570 712-207-2150 Mon-Sat Open 3 PM
Beaver Hut Pub Happiness is a Wet Beaver 307 East 7th Logan, Iowa 51546 712-644-6100
Do Drop Inn 403 3rd Avenue Under the Water Tower Jamaica, Iowa 50128 515-314-0783
Beer Barn and Grill 226 State Street Kirkman, Iowa 51447 712-766-3395 Open Mon 4, Tue-Sun at 11
Excuses Bar 405 Main Street Malvern, Iowa 51551 712-624-8233 Excuses Bar on Facebook
BJ’s Bar & Billiards 110 Ida Waterloo Iowa Home of Full Throttle Thursdays 319-234-9810
Foxys Bar 108 East Jefferson Osceola, Iowa 50213 641-342-3700 Visit us at Facebook FOXYS
Harley-Davidson of Mason City 706 South Federal Avenue Mason City, Iowa 50401 WWW.HARLEYOFMC.COM 800.205.7082
Loess Hills Harley-Davidson 57408 190th Street Pacific Junction IA 51561 712-622-4000 loesshillshd.com
Buck Snort 113 4th Street Neola, Iowa 51559 712-485-9090 The Buck Snort on Facebook
Nishna Valley Cycle HONDA – YAMAHA – KTM Atlantic, Iowa 50022 1-888-577-6406 www.nishnavalleycycle.com
Goozman’s Westside Bar & Grill Harlan, Iowa 712-755-2259 Goozman’s Westside on Facebook
Captains Quarters 807 Main Adel, Iowa 50003 M-F 2-12, Sat 10-2, Sun 12-12 515-993-4417
Greaser’s Drive-In Hwy 52 South Guttenburg, Iowa 52052 563-252-1027 Open Tues-Sun 11-9
Chocolatierie Stam-Dubuque 269 Main Street Dubuque, Iowa 52004 www.stamchocolate.com 563-690-4320
Haverhill Social Club 202 1st Street Haverhill, Iowa 50120 641-475-3321 Mon-Sat 10-2, Sun 12-12
Dew Drop Inn Bar & Restaurant 109 Main Street McClelland, Iowa 51503 712-566-9360 Mon-Sat 11:30-Close
Hawkeye Bar & Grill 110 North 4th Street Mapleton, IA 51034 712-882-1226
Werner Cycle Works 14410 Frontier Road Exit 440 I-80 Omaha, NE 68138 402-894-3050 www.wernercycleworks.com¬
Entertainment Book Em Dano’s 33 S Main Street Denison, Iowa 51442 712-263-9818Mon-Sat 4-2 Dancers Nightly 5-1:30
Good Sons 2815 Beaver Ave Ste 102 Des Moines, Iowa 515-681-5375
C&L Sandbar 103 North Noyes Street Mondamin, IA 51557 712-646-2300 or 712-216-0975 Hours Daily 11-close
Uptown Motors Sales, Inc 310 Cleveland St Muscatine, IA 52761 563-263-2944 www.uptownmotorsales.com
Whipp Sales and Service, Inc 701 S 8th Street Clarinda, Iowa 51632 1.800.477.0195 www.whippsales.com
Doc’s Roadhouse 309 East 7th Street Logan, Iowa 51543 712-644-3636 Open 365-8 am to Close
14th Street Tavern 3418 East 14th Street Des Moines, Iowa 515-266-3446 M-F 8am-2pm Sat 10-2 and Sun 11-2
Fenders Cycle and Motorsport 1109 E Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa 50315 515-256-9062 www.fenderscycle.com
Holtz Kawasaki 331 W. High St Avoca, IA 1-712-343-2177 1-888-803-7693
Dirty Ernies 201 1st Street NE Farley, Iowa 563-744-4653 Ride your Harley to Farley!
Dexfield Diner & Pub 904 1st Street Redfield, IA. 50233 515-833-2927 www.dexfielddinerandpub.com
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Mon-Sat 10:30 a.m. ~ Sun 12:00 p.m. Hazard County LoungeIowa’s Premier Night Club
(above the BBQ Shack) 203 Main St. Lohrville. Iowa 51439 Open M-S 4pm-close. Sunday 12pm-close (712)-465-3278
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Homers Bar & Grill 207 Main Street Vail, Iowa 51465 712-677-9979 Huffy’s Mule Barn 802 Main Street Anita, Iowa 50020 712-762-9995 www.huffysmulebarn.com Iron Saddle Saloon 39 S Main Street Dayton, Iowa 50530 515-547-3311 KC’s Tavern 120 North Main Bridgewater, Iowa 50837 641-369-2017 KC’s Tavern on Facebook
Pearl Street Social Club 110 Pearl Street SW Shellsburg, Iowa 52332 319-436-7100 Find Us On Facebook! Pines Steakhouse Oinkers Lounge & Grill 1500 E 7th Street Atlantic, Iowa 50022 712-243-3606 M-F 11AM-, S-S 4PMPiranha Club 1215 Plaza Drive Carroll, Iowa 51401 712-792-9184 Piranha Club on Facebook
Sparetime Bar & Grill 136 West Main Street Ute, Iowa 61060 712-885-2226 Tailgators Bar & Grill 621 Willow Street Oakland, Iowa 51560 712-482-6269
Wilson’s Tap and Recreation 1008 Story Street Boone, Iowa 50036/ 515-433-1395
Guns and Ammo
The Home Plate Diner 304 E. 30th Street Des Moines, Iowa 50317 515-262-7000
Dales’ Guns Buy-Sell-Trade-Gunsmithing 109 Main Street Ute, Iowa 712-885-2671 rustyshot2000@yahoo.com
The Lounge 1005 Chatburn Ave Harlan, Iowa 51537 712-755-5050
Locked and Loaded Outfitters 422 Market Street Harlan, Iowa 51537 712-235-4867
Pizza Ranch DENISON 510 HWY 39 North Denison, Iowa 712-393-3333 Check Us Out on Facebook Open 7 Days a Week
The Lounge Harlan Iowa on Facebook
lockedandloadedoutfitters@gmail.com
The Middle of Nowhere 112 Main Street Cumberland, Iowa 50843 712-774-5425
Shooter’s Outlet 114 Main Street Arcadia, Iowa 51430 712-689-2772
Lampe’s Pub 608 Iowa Avenue Dunlap, Iowa 51529 712-643-5781 Open 7 days a week at 11 AM
Pizza Ranch HARLAN 613 Court Street Harlan, Iowa 51537 712-755-2262 Check Us Out on Facebook Open 7 Days a Week
The Sawmill Bar & Grill Now with a Full Menu 401 Main St New Market, IA 51646-3079 712-585-3601
Lamp-Liter 143 South Grove Street Walcott, Iowa 52773 563-284-4061
Red Oak Tap 419 E. Reed Red Oak, Iowa 51566 712-623-4788
The Wagon Wheel 521 E 7th Washington, Iowa 52353 319-653-3637 Wagon Wheel Tap on Facebook
Lugger’s 201 N Main Street Kimballton, Iowa 51543 712.773.8620
Rendezvous Lounge 909 Main Street Adel, Iowa 50003 Just West of the Courthouse 515-993-4422
Keasey’s Hideaway Lounge 911 Court Street Adel, Iowa 50003 515-993-3001
Master Griller/The Field House 142 S Chestnut Earlham, Iowa 50072 Mastergriller.com 515-782-5850 Midway Tavern 206 1st Street Soldier, Iowa 712-884-2230 www.midwaytavernsoldier.com
Riverside Tavern 450 E Main St Lehigh, Iowa 50557 515-359-9998 Email:riversidetap@gmail.com Sambetti’s Bar and Grill 1430 2nd Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50314 515-245-9780 Mon-Sat 11a-2a, Sun 11a-7p
Millerton Café 10 Miles S of Chariton Hiway 14, 1 Mile East J22
Screaming Eagle American Bar & Grill
Millerton, Iowa Tues-Sat 630am-8pm Sunday 630am-3pm 641-897-3536
228 East 4th Street Waterloo, Iowa 50703 319-235-8865 www.partyattheeagle.com
Montgomery Street Pub 207 East Montgomery Street Creston, Iowa 50801 641-782-2165
Shenanigans Nightclub/Event Center
Off Sides Pizza 1119 Thomas Street Redfield, Iowa 50233 515-833-2900 Papa Joe’s 117 South 6th Street Missouri Valley, Iowa 51555 712-642-9015
1805 Maime Eisenhower Ave Boone, Iowa 50036 515-298-0435 www.partyatshenanigans1.com Slaby’s Bar & Grill 6020 New Liberty Road Plainview, Iowa 52773 563-843-3443 Sidetracked 206 West Union Street Creston, Iowa 50801 641-782-8534
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Third and Main 301 Main Street Manning, IA 51455 712-655-2304/712-210-2304 www.thirdandmainmanning.com facebook.com/thirdandmain T.J.’s Pourhouse 100 E. Washington Street Exira, Iowa 50076 712-268-2353 Open M-SAT.@11, SUN.@ NOON Tobey Jacks Mineola Steak House Mineola, Iowa 712-526-2078 Open 7 Days a Week Check Us Out on Facebook Vic’s Main Tap 304 Broadway Audubon, Iowa 50025 712-563-2122 Opens M-F 3, Sat 10, Sun 3
Tues,Wed,Fri 9-5, Thurs 9-7, Sat 8-12
www.shootersoutlet.net
Healthcare/Wellness Sandra Grace Health Care Team 2884 AAA Court, Bettendorf, IA (563) 343-5344 sandragracehealthcareteam.com Massage, Hypnosis, Reiki & more Will travel to your event or office
Legal Hupy and Abraham sc, pc Lawyers for Bikers 800.800.5678 Hupy.com
Photo and Video Ullrich Photography PO Box 1842 Clinton, Iowa 52733 563-243-8715 www.natanic.com
Services
Wet Goods Food & Lounge 113 N. Chestnut Street Jefferson, Iowa 50129 515-386-2111
BC’s Custom Wood Floors Brian Christensen 1908 8th Street Harlan, IA 51537 712-755-2098
Where You Can Grab a Rack, And Not Get Slapped! Venture Inn Blencoe, Iowa 712-452-2205
BCS Computers 100 Industrial Road Guthrie Center, Iowa 50115 641-747-3344 www.brubakercomputer.com
Wild Hogs Saloon & Eatery 350 Commercial Drive Walford, Iowa 52351 319-846-4476 Open 7 Days a Week
Joe Karsten-Authorized Dealer Cornwell Tools 329 West Street Manning, Iowa 51455 712-310-0765 mobile
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Services Continued Larsen Equipment Aaron Larsen PO Box 126 Kimballton, IA 51543 712-310-1762 Smith Urndustries 3615 300th Avenue Dickens, Iowa 51333 712-260-9638 www.smithurndustries.com Sound and Service Bike/Car/Home Audio and TV 712 Quint Avenue Carroll, Iowa 51401 712-792-5403 Southwest Iowa Sandblasting Mike Magers 65162 Oxford Rd Atlantic, Iowa 50022 712-249-3995 Traci Davis Real Estate Specialist 319-400-2000 traci.realtor@gmail.com Skogman Realty TVC Home Improvements Certified Lead Abatement Contractor
1422 Farnam Davenport, Iowa 52803 866-322-1754
Shops and Fabricators Butterfield’s M.C. Parts 8025 Blondo Street Omaha, NE 68134 402-391-3768 Chuck’s Cycle Service and Repair 714 East 7th Street Washington, Iowa52353 319-461-5278 Creative Concepts Collision 422 Market Street Harlan, Iowa 51537 712.755.2231
Main Street Bikes and Trikes 522 Main Street Granville, Iowa 51022 712.727.3515 www.shopmsbt.com
Throttle Shop LLC 1988 Arion Avenue Arion, Iowa 51520 712-674-3325 throttleshopllc@gmail.com
Moser’s 4-Way Service Center Motorcycles.ATVs.Jet Skis Harley-Davidson Certified Luxemburg, Iowa 563-853-3390 Moser4way@iowatelecom.net
Top Gun Customs 607 South Main Street Garnavillo, Iowa 52049 563-964-9899 Top Gun Customs on FB
Nelson Machine & Forge General Machining, Ornamental Iron, Weld/Fab 70 Washington Street Marne, Iowa 51552 712-781-2220
Waderich’s Towing 420 S Main Street Denison, Iowa 51442 Phone 712-263-3687 Cell 712-263-9685
Dead Heads Eng, Fab, Repairs & Sales 426 Railway Street Gillett Grove, Iowa 51341 deadheadsmceng@gmail.com 712-835-3353 Elite Auto Upholstery & Embroidery
Specializing in Motorcycle Seats 1313 Walnut Street Des Moines, Iowa 50309 515-276-4392
Revolution Cycles 120 South Main Street Baxter, Iowa 50028 641-507-9250 www.rev-ia.com
F & J Racing 701 N 3rd Ave Marshalltown, Iowa 50158 641-752-8651 www.fandjracing.com
Steffens Cycle Shop LLC 1311 E 7th Street Atlantic, Iowa 50022 712-249-5876 M-F 9-5 Most Sat 9-12 Or Call
Flying Eye Psycol Circus 512 Main Street LaPorte City, Iowa 50651 319.495.8016 flyingeye@mediacombb.net
Strip Club Choppers Nebraska/Iowa 2023 North 11th Street Omaha, NE 68110 402-342-4054
Metal Ink 911 7th Street Ste 102 Harlan, Iowa 51537 712-235-2453 www.metalink.org
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Pike Run Services 320 Main Nichols, Iowa 52766 Shop 319-723-4244 Cell 319-330-4541
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XTreme Cycle & Off Road 206 E Main St Panora, Iowa 50216 641-755-4288 xtremecycle@netins.net
Tattoo Crave Tattoo 201 S 12th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 51501 515-576-8289 FB Crave Tattoo, Inc. Dubuque Tattoo Club 150 JFK Road Suite 5 Dubuque, Iowa 52002 563-845-0767
To buy ad space in our directory, call 712-249-5630 or email vernon@thunderroadsiowa.com
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weekend. There are so many things going on with Memorial Day weekend, which the original date seemed to work better. That was different. Despite the change of date, Possum and the crew of Circle of Price still put on their usual rockin’-downand-dirty party!
A DIFFERENT kind of Party! Things seemed “different” this year at the Hog Wild Rodeo. It is kind of hard to pin down any one thing for sure that made it different, but it was more like the old times. It was just a group of bikers getting together for a laid back biker party. No stress, no attitudes, and just one helluva lot of fun! One thing that seemed different was the “lay of the land”. The parking and camping areas had been reorganized, but not in a bad way at all. It was just…different. As many of you may have noticed, the event was moved from the past three years Memorial Day weekend to the original date in mid-May. It was changed a few years ago to give Mother Nature a couple more weeks to get the crud out of her system, but by popular demand, it returned to the original
The merchandise vendors stayed busy, as did the food vendors. If you were looking to pick up a piece of new biker wear, bling, or patch, there were plenty to choose from. The girls at the stripper pole did an outstanding job and kept the crowd’s attention, as did the men when they took the stage and showed the crowd their ability to gyrate. Who would have thought that a “shake your balls off” competition would have drawn the crowd that it did! That was…different. One of this year’s featured entertainers was a take on “All-Star Wrestling”. Some of the onlookers had to hustle to get out of the way as the wrestlers took the action outside the ring. The bands blasted some awesome music into the night, as usual. And DJ Andy Minder kept the music playing throughout the weekend. If it is drag racing that you’re interested in, this is the place to be! This 1/8 mile track brings out some of the toughest
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competitors on two wheels. Pushing their bikes to the limit, they battle for the winning slot, not to mention breaking their own times. With speeds reaching up to 132 mph, these speed demons really take racing seriously. F***man Charlie was there with his volatile vocabulary, legendary “wake-up” call, and commentary that kept everybody “in the know”. Kudos to the crews who kept the drinks cold and served everyone quickly. There was even a wedding ceremony! Talk about different, and by that I mean that it was something I’d never seen at a Conesville bash before! It was small and private ceremony, and very cool. Congrats, Gaby and Mouse! Both I and Eryka with TRMI were on the guest list though, and were
Don’t Eat The Fruit!
proud to share in the nuptials.
By Dr. “Pinky” Seuss
While some things seemed a little “different” at this event, there were many things that stayed “comfortably” the same. You gotta check it out for yourself! Expect another old school biker party on Labor Day Weekend! More information can be found at circleofpridemc.com Susan
I went to Hog Wild Rodeo 2013 Or I guess that’s what they say. Someone gave me Moonshine soaked fruit & all I remember is ONE FUN DAY! So thank God I had my camera & pictures to jog my brain, I need all the help that I can get To recall my ride aboard the Moonshine train. F-Man Charlie, Hank Rotten, Possum & Fender, Mad Max, Motor Joe & an all night bender. Cheese Pizza, Dressed to Kill, 3 on the Tree, Wikid Likir & Chops is my favorite Krank Daddie. Drag races, male strippers & naked gals Jello shots, new friends & even wedding vows Warlord & Barbarian- The Powers of Pain & so many boobies it was hard to stay sane. Mesh clothing, sex toys, funnel cakes & sunglasses Vendors everywhere peddled goods to the bulk of the masses. Bikes of all kinds and people the same If you missed it this year - only you are to blame!
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The U.S. National Archives & Records Administration
Amendment IV
The Bill of Rights: A Transcription
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
The Preamble to The Bill of Rights
Amendment V
Congress of the United States
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
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June 12, 2013
begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine. THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution. RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz. ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution. Note: The following text is a transcription of the first ten amendments to the Constitution in their original form. These amendments were ratified December 15, 1791, and form what is known as the “Bill of Rights.�
Amendment VI In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
Amendment VII In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment VIII Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment Amendment IX of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the Government for a redress of grievances. people.
Amendment II
Amendment X
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Amendment III Editorial Comment: Please feel free to read, share, and live No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, this! Cut it out and stick it to your refrigerator for future without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in reference. Thank! Vernon a manner to be prescribed by law. 16 - TRMI JULY 2013
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CMA Notes
I know you tough guys out there don’t want to admit it, but most of us have been a passenger on a bike at some point – even if it was so long ago that you were just a fuzzy-headed little kid riding behind your dad. Being a passenger is pretty much a list of don’ts: “Don’t lean over. Don’t move while we’re going slow. Don’t try to get off before I tell you”. And the list goes on. Yes, you’re on a bike, but you’re just sitting there trying to be good, leaning into the curves and bracing yourself against unexpected stops, unable to do much that will positively affect the ride. All that changes when you choose to become the rider. By being willing to step into the unfamiliar, you’re presented with the opportunity to develop good riding skills. Besides just mastering a few basics, you’d better learn the laws of physics that apply to riding, because whether you understand them or not, you’re still subject to them. Hopefully, you’ll also experience the wonder of counter-steering, which is the opposite of how you think you should steer, but it works! You’ll have more freedom and more responsibility. You may be traveling the same roads as before, but what a difference the new perspective makes! And once that love of being the rider has been burned into you, it’s often difficult to go back to being the passenger. Many people view the Christian life as similar to being a passenger on the bike: full of “don’ts”. Don’t lie, don’t cheat on your spouse, don’t steal, don’t kill, don’t defraud the poor, the fatherless, or the widow. It’s true that obeying those
rules will make your life less complicated, as well as helping you hang on to a few friends! But is that really what the Christian life is about? No, it’s about a choice and a change. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” When you choose to ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you’re not just forgiven. You are changed. The question is, are you going to limit yourself by continuing to live the life you knew before, or are you going to step into the unfamiliar? Because living life like Jesus lived is definitely unfamiliar to us. Jesus gave this basic principle for living the Christian life: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Here’s an example of how that affected the way Jesus dealt with those around him. Back in his day, the law said that anyone caught cheating on their spouse should be stoned to death. A woman who had been caught in adultery was brought to Jesus by the religious leaders. They wanted to see how he would stay true to the rules and still show this love that he talked about. Jesus’ response to the religious leaders was to say, “Let him who has never sinned throw the first stone.” Not being total idiots, one by one they slunk away. His response to the woman was to say, “Where are your accusers? Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.” Jesus wasn’t interested in enforcing a set of rules. What he really wanted was to engage the heart of each person involved until their own heart-searching would result in a desire for permanent change. His goal for us today is the same – to get us to look past the “don’ts” and step out on a journey with him that will engage our hearts so that we won’t ever want to go back. Blessings to you – Karla Mark and Karla Cornick are Area Reps for the Christian Motorcyclists Association. Find out more about CMA and God’s plan for you at www.cmausa. org.
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residents. The county boasts 195 miles of paved county roads and a few state highways. There is an eclectic combination of new and old. With Grundy 99 Counties to tour on the bike, 99 counties to tour, take one down, drive on around, 61 counties to tour on Center as their county seat they claim nine official the bike. A few years back, a summer riding goal was towns, there is a little something for everyone in their humble county. to ride through each one of the counties of Iowa, and what was found was a wealth of interest and beauty. When it comes to the lay of the land, the words that Each month we will revisit each county as a featured article. We will tell you about new things to see, places come to mind are flat and straight. Most of the county was planned out on a grid. They are very proud of the to ride, and give you a little spark of touring curiosity quality of their roads, as they should be; the shoulders for our state of Iowa. are wide and the roads are smooth. Just north of the county seat on North Holland road is one of the nicest Grundy County Iowa eds that I have ever seen. It is so looking County Sheds dscaped. clean and well landscaped.
99 Counties on the Wall
eers web The County Engineers site has one of my favorite little ditties! They have a undy “Guide to rural Grundy o wants living.” Anyone who to ever live in the country in this or any otherr county ment should take a moment cation. It and read this publication. reminds us all of what living in bout. the country is all about.
My first memories in life are in Grundy County. My family lived just north of Reinbeck on a rented farm that is no longer there. Some of my oldest memories are of being in kindergarten in 1981 and a farmer had hit a gas pipeline with a farm implement. During recess that day we could see the flames shooting
own seems to While every little town e of my favorite have it’s shtick, one own sign for town signs is the town me, You’re not Beaman. “Welcome, n Beaman.” dreamin…You’re in m Waterloo to While traveling from Marshalltown we would pass this sign. By the time you got to this point you usually had to use the rest room, no luck here as a child child. They did not have a gas station, but they do have the Beaman Tap. I am sure at this age I could find something productive to do there! Grundy County has a fair amount of roadside parks. There are places to sit, places to walk, places to find a little relief if the sun is beating down on you. They usually have grills and shelters so you can cook a little lunch if you are so inclined.
in the air five miles from town. As I recall, the farmers back was broken but he survived and now looking back it strikes me how flat the land was that we could see those flames from so far away! Grundy County was founded in 1851, they have 12,459 friendly 20 - TRMI JULY 2013
Two interesting and decidedly different gems that can be found in Reinbeck Iowa are the Broad Street Brewing Company and the 405 Lounge. The 405 Lounge is what every small town bar should be. The owner, Jack used to be in a band, has root beer on tap and every Labor Day he hosts Jackfest, which raises money for charity. The Broad Street Brewing Company opened in 2011, run by Trevor and has an English pub theme, not something you usually see in a small town. Their equipment came from London England. They brew four of their own frothy beverages that you can drink on tap there in Reinbeck or in several other Iowa cities. Both places welcoming and
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Road Ramblings random thoughts of a scooter tramp After the record low temperatures and record high rainfall throughout this great state, the motorcycling community is starting to feel the pain. I have run out of fingers and toes counting the times, I have been geared up ready to ride only to have it pour down rain before getting the bike out of the garage. When I have been lucky enough to swing my leg over, it seems to be a short trip before riding right into the eye of the storm. I’m not opposed to riding in the rain, that’s why some genius invented rain gear, but these Iowa storms have buddies uglier than mine, cold temperatures, dangerously strong winds, quick sharp lightning and let’s not forget the hail.
them eye balling me, just an old biker, caught up in the rain, chilled to the bone and miles from home. My ravishing good looks had been washed away miles ago.
Since each time I leave home on 2 wheels I seem to have a big, dark, black cloud following me around, I have started to question how I have lived life. My warped mind has decided that somewhere in life I have committed some pretty big sins and its payback time. Each time I get caught riding in the rain, the little devil that rides through life with me, starts whispering in my ear, reminding me of things that we have done to deserve the payback we are getting.
As I stepped up to the counter to pay my bill, another rumble of thunder made the store tremble. I reached into my pocket, pulled out the wallet and told the clerk that I had found it lying on the pump. She grabbed it away from me as if I had stolen it. She immediately opened it saying, “There’s money in here, how much money is in it, you’re turning this in?” The clerk stood there looking at me as if I was half crazy. When my lips started moving, I felt the necessity to commit yet another sin in my journey of life, I lied. I told her there was a phone number in the wallet, I called the owner, confirmed the cash count and told him where to find it, I told the owner that you would have it, then called her by name as I glanced at her name tag. She stood there looking at me like a deer caught in the headlights as she mumbled, “Why would you do that”. As I walked away, I shrugged my shoulders and replied, “There is a weeks worth of hard earned pay in that wallet, it doesn’t belong to me, maybe he will give you a reward for returning it.”
Figured I might as well hit the bathroom since I wasn’t looking forward to hitting the road. After catching a glimpse of my own reflection in the mirror, my mind drifted back to the big fat wallet tucked safely in my pocket and my little devil started whispering again “If it was your picture in that wallet, you know what would happen, they would take the cash and toss the rest in the trash.”
The other day, I managed to ride out several hours from home before the big, dark, black cloud found me. While trying to get home by riding through some pretty strong wind driven rain I rolled into a gas station to top off the tank and take advantage of hiding out under the awning for a break. While letting fuel trickle into the tank, I noticed a wallet lying on top of the gas pump. A nice big fat one! My personal devil started whispering in my ear, “just stick it in your pocket, no one is around, no one is paying attention, no one will know it isn’t yours.” As I listened to that little devil of mine, I picked it up and I made it about 5 miles down the road, riding in the opened it. rain, listening to my devil all the way, he had plenty to say about my intelligence and all the fun we could I saw a family photo, a nice looking family, everyone have had with that cash. When suddenly the big, smiling, and dressed to match, there were six of them dark, black cloud dissipated and there were rays of squeezed into that photo. My mind couldn’t get past sunshine beating down on me. I made a quick trip the story hidden behind the smiles that mom and dad of the ride home trying to catch up to a pot of gold had put on for the camera. They looked tired, they at the end of a double rainbow while watching a looked worn, and their eyes told the truth about the fabulous sunset in the mirrors. struggles of raising a family in the world today. Then I noticed a big fat wad of cash, so I tucked the wallet My little devil was pretty quiet the rest of the way into my pocket and finished topping off the tank. home. I think he came to realize that sometimes the integrity of bikers is questioned and tested, but in As I strolled inside, the lightening struck sharply the end bikers will go the extra mile even if it means through the air followed by a big clap of thunder, committing another sin in the game of life just to do snapping my thoughts back to the miles I still needed the right thing. to travel, it’s going to be a long, cold, wet ride, sure wish I was closer to home. Ride safe and stay dry! I decided to suck down a hot cup of coffee in order to ride out a little more of the storm in the safety of the Shifty LaRue convenience store. While watching the people come and go, I saw the glances, I noticed the stares, all of Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa on Facebook
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Dubuque Ink & Art Expo In the biker world, there are a few things that come to mind when you think about the life in general. Tattoos are an important part of that life, as many bikers choose to add art to their body as another way of displaying their freedom and individuality. Tattoos over the years have become less taboo, and more commonplace and acceptable. They have developed into an incredible living story for many, and can be real works of art. As part of the promotion of the art, the folks at Dubuque Tattoo Club and Ink Tattoo Studio will be hosting the 1stAnnual Dubuque Ink & Art Expo this fall. The show will be held at the Grand River Center, 500 Bell St., Dubuque, Iowa 52001. The show will run September 13-15th and will make for a pretty inexpensive weekend of fun and admiration of art. A one day ticket for Friday is only $10, Saturday and Sunday passes are $15 for each day, or come on out for the whole weekend for $30 for a three day pass. The Ink & Art Expo is being held to highlight to Dubuque and the surrounding area that tattoos are a legitimate art form. There will be over 80 tattoo artists coming into Iowa from as far away as California and Maine. Some special guests will be on hand to help make the show a success. Halo the Enigma and Serana Rose will be on hand, as well as an art show with fine art and paintings for the patrons of the show to enjoy and purchase. Tattoos will be done all three days of the Expo, with appointments for work being highly encouraged. Competitions will be held and awards presented for the best tattoos done during the show, as well as awards for previous ink. So come on in and get some new ink, or show off your living canvas for a chance to win an award. Other draws to the show include an Art Fusion exhibit; this will be centered on art done on canvas by all the artists. Each artist does something on the canvas and then moves on to the next canvas. As each artist does this, works of art will be created and then they will be auctioned off on Sunday of the show. There will also be a Skate Deck Auction, paintings will be done on the skate decks and auctioned off with the proceeds going towards the Dubuque Skate Park Fund for equipment for the kids. Master of Ceremonies is Stuart Jacobson, TAT Supply Company will be the supplier on site for the artists. Eronel is in charge of the music with a meet and greet with the artists on September. 12 at the Eronel located on lower Main in Dubuque. 7 p.m. - ? musical entertainment will be provided by Black Actress and other local bands. A live broadcast will be happening during the shows by Eagle 102 and Y105 radio stations. Tickets are available day of the shows, or for more information on vending or attending, contact: Owner of Ink Tattoo Studio - Mark Weiland - located at 1090 University Ave. Dubuque, Iowa 563-556-4465, or Owner of Dubuque Tattoo Club - Greg Howe - located at 150 JFK Rd., Dubuque, Iowa 563-845-0767. Check event out on http://www.dbqinkandartexpo.com/ Block of rooms reserved at the Grand Harbor Resort, 500 Bell St., Dubuque, Iowa - 563-690-4000 Come on out and enjoy some ink!
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the LERtape is constantly excited by four discrete high intensity LEDpods mounted on the frame or forks of your motorcycle and targeted at the LERtape. The glowing LERtape creates the visible and striking rings of light without any wires or lights actually on or in your wheels. The unit
After a lot of motorcycle versus car crashes, the common theme is the driver of the cage saying “I did not see them!” Now when you add the element of night, the dark skies do not offer much at all for visibility, especially lighting that is visible from the side. The lighting on a motorcycle is mainly aimed forward and rearward, with nothing from the side for illumination available. There are reflectors of course, but they have to be hit with a beam of light to be effective, and often times these lights come from an offending vehicle, too late for action to be taken. Some riding gear has reflector strips as well, but once again that is a passive reflector, that takes lights from oncoming vehicles to notice it. Now there is a fairly new product on the market that helps to alleviate the side visibility issues of most motorcycles.
has an on and off switch included, so it does not have to be active at all times. At night, when not moving, after a couple of minutes the glow goes away, and a purplish LED light is visible coming from under my fenders. Installation of the unit is a couple of hour process for the DIY wrench, but can be well worth the benefits of increasing night time riding side visibility. The website explains all of the technical aspects, as well as installation instructions for many different brands and types of motorcycles, including trikes. Go to www.lunasee.com to find more information.
One of the next questions that I had was about the legality of the lighting systems. In Iowa, traffic code sections 321.384 A company called Lunasee, at lunasee. through 321.423 deal with vehicle lighting com on the web, produces an Active Side law, but most of them deal with lighting Lighting system called the ASL 1000. The that shines outward. I had a discussion system works with a strip that is mounted with a fellow rider, Officer Brent Soll on the wheel, and a light source that mounts from Harlan PD, and he said that as the hidden to illuminate the strip during night glowing strip is the light emitting device, riding. The view during the day is almost and that no lights are pointed outward, on impossible to see, but at night it comes top of being a safety system, it should not alive with a glowing green strip that be a problem. Now with that said, it is a illuminates the wheels as they go around. “lighting” device on a vehicle, and that may The unit is installed on my bagger, and the cause some officers to want to investigate. visibility from the side has been increased I know for sure after using and seeing this more than imaginable. I wondered how it device in person, I am advocating for the all worked and learned that the patented law enforcement community to accept and Lunasee Active Side welcome any device that Lighting system uses will increase night time a specially formulated motorcycle visibility LERtape (Light such as this. Emitting Rim) that’s applied directly to Check it out and see it if your wheel’s rim. It’s will help you at night to weightless and nearly be seen! invisible, almost like a pinstripe on the rim. Vernon As the wheels rotate, Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa on Facebook
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National Motorcycle Museum Vintage Rally - 2013
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I find “1988” and “vintage” being used in the same sentence a little unsettling. None the less, motorcycles dated 1988 or older are eligible for the Vintage Bike competition held annually at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa each June. Those wishing to participate in the competition are directed to park their bikes in areas based on a wide range of classes. Attendees are encouraged to wander through the assortment, many seeing makes and models they have never seen before. Judging was done, once again, by an expert class of collectors and motorcycle professionals. Thunder Alley Productions and Motorcycle Classics magazine did a wonderful job with the plaques again this year. Ace Café provided the award for the outstanding café racer. And The Man himself, John Parham, was on hand to congratulate the winners, pose for a photo, and hand out the plaques.
I found three to be particularly interesting. Take Carl Temple of Davenport, IA. He brought his 1931 Indian 101 Scout to the rally. Carl still races this bike. In fact, it is the only bike of its kind still racing. In 2010, he had a little “trouble” with his bike prior to the start of the race. As he was waiting on the start line, his bike burst into flames. He felt his bike getting hot and begin to vibrate, but he was unaware that he was on fire as well. The crew quickly pulled him off the bike and extinguished the flames. Miraculously, Carl was not burned, thanks to his riding gear and the quick response of the track crew. His only concern was the condition of his beloved yellow Indian. In 2011, the Indian Scout took him to the AMA National’s where he placed 2nd in the “Handshift Brakeless” class. At a top speed of about 70 - 80 mph, Carl continues to race this motorcycle and win points with this classic. Trophy winner Gary Dostal, from Papillion, NE, was there with his 1955 Triumph Tiger. The first thing he’ll tell you about his baby blue-grey Tiger is that it was a “rolling basket” when he first saw it at Baxter Cycle. With roots that trace back to Europe and Hong Kong, it seems only fitting that replacing all of the necessary parts with original parts, would come from all over the world. After laboring for 10 years on this project, doing much of the work himself, Gary was ready to enter it in the show. This was his third show. The Triumph Tiger was known for its nacelle headlight which is the unit where all the gauges are located.
It’s rare to see a woman (although I don’t understand why) in such a competition. However, this year, 11 year old Hailey Braunsky from Sun Prairie, WI, took home the 1st place trophy in the “Motorized Bicycle” class with her replica 1920 Board Track Racer. Not only did the bike draw the attention, but so did this young lady, sporting her It goes without saying that tall riding boots and vintage leather riding cap and goggles! every bike entered into the When I asked if she had any interest in riding a larger competition had a story. motorcycle, she quickly responded, “That’s what I want
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for my 16th birthday - and riding lessons!” Watch out, guys, this girl is going to be tough competition! Other attractions for attendees included strolling through the vendors and swap meet tents, touring the museum, and attending the panel discussions. New exhibits to the NMM this season were a Scooter! display, a traveling Evel Knievel display, and a Dirt Track Heroes exhibit courtesy of Allstate Motorcycle and J & P Cycles. Autograph sessions were held with several of the country’s top dirt track legends. Two panel discussions were held and both drew crowds of over 30 people. The first panel was a group of motorcycle collectors and experts who answered questions about motorcycle collecting. Two of the most important points that were brought up more than once were: “original paint” is a rare find so buy it when you find it, and do your homework - know what you are buying and be certain that all parts are original. Six men sat on the panel for the Flat Track Race panel. Many of these gentlemen had been competitors at some point in their career. They shared stories about their favorite bikes and favorite tracks. For some, the big name tracks were the favorite, for others, it was the “shitty old ½ mile tracks in Iowa used for stock cars” and a similar track in Savanna, GA. Questions from the audience were also answered. To sum up the dirt track experience, one of the panelists seemed to say it best: “it’s not about the win; it’s about going ‘round in circles.” Mark your calendar for next year’s event! Visit www. nationalmotorcyclemuseum.org for more information and details about this event. Susan Mast Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa on Facebook
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Model: Molly Gangestad of Soldier, Iowa showing her July Patriotic Spirit! Find her at the Midway Tavern in Solder with a gorgeious smile while she grabs you a beer! Bike: 2013 Harley-Davidson Street Glide owned by Steve Harris, AKA Hariball Motorcycle purchased from Carroll Cycle Center in Carroll, Iowa
Independence Day
Blessing of the Bikes
selling 50/50 tickets, with proceeds going back to the food pantry. Natanic’s Pin-ups calendar girls were also on hand signing the new calendars and Tawnya, Miss Nov. 2014, who won the 50/50, was generous enough to donate her winnings back to the pantry! Goes to show she’s more than just a pretty face after all!
The first Sunday in June every year marks the date for the Blessing of the Bikes in Fulton, Illinois, and this year marked the 24th anniversary of the event. It was a bright beautiful day, and over 300 Michelle’s Coffee and Ice M bikes rolled in from eastern Cream shop had treats for all C Iowa, and northwestern aages, while Large 1’s offered Illinois to partake in the hhot pizza out front, cold drinks festivities. Long time in inside, and some great acoustic ABATE of Iowa District tu tunes by local musicians JoeJoe 21 members Bear and Julie aand Bentley. started the event, which although is held in Illinois, JJulie is still actively involved it’s hosted by ABATE of w with the event, but sadly Bear Iowa organizers, and sits just ppassed away a few years ago. across the Mississippi from H His son Tramp, however, still Clinton, Iowa. It originally hhas his old man’s Evo bagger, started in the parking lot w which has over 300,000 miles of what was then the fire lo logged on it, and is the only station, but has since moved bbike that has been to every right onto the main drag Blessing since the beginning! B downtown, which is blocked Additionally, Julie’s dad, Father A off for bike traffic only, Arley Downie, has officiated A right in front of Large 1’s eevery Blessing except for 2, and Pub. Typically one block is plenty, but with more than doubling the previous number of at 82 years young, he drove from New Mexico to oversee bikes on hand, one more block was used to the north, which this year’s Blessing. It must also be mentioned, that Father walks around and blesses each bike individually! ironically nearly reaches the old fire station parking lot. All who stopped by were asked to donate a canned good for Next year will be the Silver Anniversary of the event, and plans are already in the works to add the local food pantry, which the area Kiwanis ssomething new for the day, to make club host and local roller derby girls were things bigger and better than ever! For th more info, give Large 1’s a call at 815m 5589-2100, or Julie at 563-249-5681. Nate Ullrich www.Lyfebehindbars.com N
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Stacey N S Nichols i h l 2005 Sportster Low Liscomb, Iowa Niikk N kki ki Hill Hill Hi ll Nikki Wa W aterl terl te rloo oo o o, Iowa Iowa Iow Io wa Waterloo, 19 1 99 93 3S offtta o ail il C usstto u om 1993 Softail Custom
Dorothy Wilwert North BuenaVista 2008 Ultra with sidecar Melissa Olson 2005 Sportster Liscomb, Iowa
We want you on our pages! If you are an Iowa Girl of Thunder, send us your name, year and model of bike, and where you are from to vernon@thunderroadsiowa.com 38 - TRMI JULY 2013
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I proudly sit in the woman’s seat of my 2009 Kawasaki miles were put on that 1982 Yamahopper. Vulcan Custom! But I have to admit, I didn’t get here all by myself. It all started when I was born. Daddy’s little girl(s) My dad was feeling lonely with his riding buddies (us girls) comes into effect! so he had the idea to buy a second street bike. At age 14, you can get a permit to ride a motorcycle. So a Yamaha 750 My dad, Ray Busch, is a lifelong motorcycle advocate. At Special was purchased. That bike was a blast! I rode with the early ages of my toddler years, I was riding with him on Dad many places. And then at age 16, I rode it many other his 850cc Suzuki and letting the breeze mess up my hair. places. My youngest sister, Sharon, also enjoyed that 750 I remember riding to Kentucky Fried Chicken to get takeSpecial when she turned 14. We both have kept the passion out for the Mother’s Day meal. I also remember my sisters for riding and enjoy our own bikes to this day. riding with us. We had assigned seats on the bike! The law back then was you had to have foot pegs for the passengers. As my other sisters got to the age of 16, their motorcycle My dad, the retired farmer, is a very creative guy! passion was not the same as Sharon and myself. They chose to not continue with their riding. We both have married At age 7, it was tradition in our family to receive a dirt spouses that enjoy riding also. bike for your birthday. My older sister got one, so I knew I would too! To my surprise, the dirt bike was not visible Then the grandkids started appearing. when I got off the bus on that May afternoon. I was disappointed. My mom told me to quit pouting and go to When my boys were 8 and 6, my husband and I decided a my room to adjust my attitude. Low and behold, there it dirt bike would be a fun way to spend the tax return money. was parked. My very first motorcycle was a Yamaha 80cc We only had enough to get one, so we decided on a Yamaha in May of 1974. It was perfect! My dad had parked it in 100 with no clutch. We had Grandpa Ray Busch and my room to surprise me. My mother was not so impressed Grandpa Gary Lindgren come to our house. When my boys when I wanted to start it right away in my room! So Dad got off the bus, they found two Grandpas taking turns riding and I wheeled it out, and he taught me how to kick start, a brand new dirt bike around the yard. This was their lesson shift, pick it up when you tip over, stop, start, and most on sharing, and they got “advice” on how to ride. The boys importantly how to put gas in it. Needless to say, I spent the loved it! (and so did the grandpas). entire summer riding all over our farm. Sharing a dirt bike with your brother isn’t a great plan. I You must realize on the farm there are certain obstacles would not recommend it. We gave in and bought another you must overcome to be a successful rider. Driving on bike. That was a Kawasaki 60cc. The clutch must be taught! gravel, dodging cow manure, slamming through mud, driving across the creek, riding on sandbars, and carrying a I rode on the back of my oldest son, Austin, and tapped his can of pop between your legs and not caring if you spill on arm when to pull in the clutch, tapped his leg when to shift, yourself. These are all lifelong skills of any biker. and tapped his other leg for the brake. He caught on quickly and now everyone is happy. Of course, with 2 boys, 2 bikes, My two younger sisters also received the same traditional and 4 acres, a track was born. No need for grass seed! birthday present. It was always the Yamaha 80 cc of that year. So picture it; 4 girls on the farm with 7 years from My boys, Austin and Mason, are 20 and 18 now. They oldest to youngest. We all enjoyed the dirt bike years. Dad have grown up on motorcycles. The boys raced when they would gladly jump on one of the dirt bikes and ride around were young. They both still have a passion for riding now. with us. That quickly turned into a race. That snowballed They enjoy their street bikes and it is a wonderful family into making a track in the pasture. tradition. Three generations of “bikers” now. I fully expect it to be continued. Dad thought it would be fun for me to enter a mini bike rodeo. That turned into more rodeo competitions. (I actually As you can see, Daddy’s little girl(s) has an entire different met my husband at the Beaver Daze Mini Bike Rodeo in meaning for my sister and me. From the woman’s seat, 1976. He is 7 years older than me and was with his high you will find many school buddies running the events). He didn’t know stories of how to learn then he would love me someday when I became a to ride a motorcycle. woman. Back then, I was the little tom-boy riding My story is priceless, motorcycles with the boys. but filled with love and passion from my When I turned 14, the dirt bike was traded in for Dad. Everyone should a moped. Since we lived 7 miles from town, I take joy in learning a rode my moped to softball practice (on gravel lifelong skill from their of course). I remember filling the tank for $1 father or mother. or so. Wow, did I like that freedom of riding wherever I wanted, even to town! Many Deb Lindgren Thun under unde d r Ro de Road Roads ad ds Magazine Magazine of Iowa on Facebook Fac www.thunderroadsiowa.com TRMI JULY 2013 - 39
Clyde’s Grill & Pub
will ride to eat
3828 Stadium Drive Sioux City, IA 51106 712-222-1609 Mon-Thurs 3PM-10PM, Fri 3PM-11PM, Sat 11AM-Midnight, Sun 10AM-9PM
When I first started writing this article the places I reviewed were places I had eaten at before and thought they were worthy of mention. Now that I’ve been doing this for almost 3 years (August this year will be the 3rd year anniversary of Will Ride to Eat!!!! ya’ll tired of me yet???? LOL) you, my loyal readers, have been stepping up to the challenge and submitting your favorite places! WAY TO GO, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!! This month is one of those places and submitted by a reader so loyal she purchased a mail subscription and doesn’t even own a bike! She reads every issue and passes them around to her family and friend base that do ride! This one is for you Kay! Ok, on to the review, Kay suggested we check out Clyde’s Grill & Pub by the ball park in Sioux City. Clyde’s is kind of off the beaten path but well worth the side trip! Located next to the Sioux City Explorer’s minor league baseball team stadium it naturally has a sports bar kind of feel to it; TVs are everywhere so catching your favorite sport is easy. The staff there is extremely friendly and helpful all the way up to the manager who made a couple of personal visits to our table to make sure everything was ok!
are so tasty that after the first bite you’ll forget you had any other food ordered and won’t stop chowing until the plate is clean! When our burgers and fries arrived I was impressed by the size of the portions. (I shouldn’t have been surprised given the size of the onion rings we just ate!) The burgers, while not the largest I have eaten, were a far piece from the smallest. Did I mention the toppings were heaped on? Well, they were! And the pile of fries... wow, I knew from first sight this meal was now exceeding “full tummy” range! I must admit that as appetizing as the burger looked my curiosity was getting the best of me as to what Cajun Fries tasted like. I was expecting some kind of really hot seasoning but was met with a pleasant taste that had just a hint of a bite... that is until I stopped to describe them to Lynnette! Watch out for these... they will sneak up on you with the heat!!! The Garlic Fries that Lynnette ordered had a very pleasant garlic flavor to them but nothing overpowering... very tasty! My BBQ Burger required a pretty fair amount of smushing to make it fit into my big mouth (just the way I like it). The burger patty was done to perfection; the hay stack onions (their description), pickles and bacon all being held together with a large slab of melted smoked mozzarella, lettuce and tomato topped it all off and finished off with a house bun top and bottom. Man... that was one awesome burger!!!!!
Check out Clyde’s Grill & Pub by yourself Lynnette and I sat down and took one look at or with some the menu and were overwhelmed by the opfriends. Either tions! After perusing the food filled pages for what way be prepared to enjoy great food, friendly staff and seemed like an eternity we finally settled on the burger a fun atmosphere! Check out their website for compage, but which burger???? Thankfully our waiter Tony plete menus and specials www.clydesgrill.com B. came to our rescue by answering our questions and making some recommendations as well. I settled on Until next month, ride safe and eat hearty! the BBQ Burger with Cajun Fries and Lynnette decided on the Mushroom Bleu Burger with Garlic Fries. Craig Little Oh we also had an appetizer of their homemade onion rings, DON’T miss out on these!!!! When they arrived craig@thunderroadsiowa.com my first thought was that my meal had been delivered and I needed nothing else! These are HUGE!!!!! They PS If you have someplace you think we should check out in your neck of the woods, shoot me an email. Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa on Facebook www.thunderroadsiowa.com 40 - TRMI JULY 2013
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MILITARY RIDERS
John Falkers from Tipton, jumped on his brother’s 1953 Harley Davidson every chance he got and enjoyed racing that bike around the cow pasture at age 11. Although he enlisted in the service before he could afford his own motorcycle, he dreamed of coming home and riding his little lady around the Iowa countryside on the back of a Harley. In 1966 the draft was in full force and instead of having the government decide where he would end up; John enlisted in the Army the summer after he graduated high school. John completed basic training and AIT in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri and 14 days later his feet touched ground in Vietnam. He served as a Spec-4 Engineer while on active duty, keeping machinery (everything from vehicles to generators) running smoothly.
’53 HD and still rides to this day (still battling that pesky shoulder injury from that motorcycle crash over 50 years ago). The passion for motorcycles didn’t stop at John’s generation. A current list of riders in his family includes his son, daughter in law, daughter and son in law, grandson, brother and sister in law, brother in law, and numerous nephews. John met one of his best friends (who he refers to as his ‘war brother’) while serving in Vietnam. John talked so much about the fun of being on two wheels that upon returning home, the buddy (who had NEVER even thought about riding motorcycles before meeting John Falkers) bought a new Harley Davidson and 45 years later he still rides as well. John and James get together every chance they get to tear up the pavement on their ‘scooters’.
The desire to fight for our great nation ran deeply in this family. However, John was the only family member accepted into the military. This wasn’t because other family members didn’t WANT to enlist. His father wanted to fight for our country in WWII, but was denied entry to the service because he was a farmer and at that time this country needed farmers just as bad as they needed soldiers. John’s brother also wanted to enlist to fight in Vietnam, but due to a lingering shoulder injury that wouldn’t heal properly (from crashing his 1953 HD) he was also denied entry to the service.
Nine days after returning from Vietnam in 1968, John married his high school sweetheart, Sherrie. Shortly after saying their “I do’s”, the couple bought their first motorcycle for $350, a 1951 Harley Davidson. Realizing his chance to upgrade, he sold that bike for $650 and purchased a 1959 Pan Head Duo Glide. Living in a small, rural farm community, John was one of TWO Harley Davidson owners in the area. At that time, only hooligans and trouble makers rode those loud, rumbling bikes; everyone else opting for a smoother, quieter ride found on a BSA or Triumph. John has since owned a 1980 HD 80 Shovelhead, a 1989 Ultra Classic and he currently shares his The passion for motorcycles also ran (and still runs) time between a 1995 Ultra Classic and a 2006 Ultra Classic deeply in this family. John’s dad rode Harley’s in the Trike conversion. His wife talked him into picking up the 1930’s, before he started his family. Listening to John talk trike due to his lingering hip pain. He HATES it, but being about why his dad stopped riding brought about the most a good husband, John rides that trike whenever Sherrie asks. interesting mental picture I could imagine. “Dad would He loves his two-wheeler, claiming it’s easier to ride, but have liked to kill himself on that thing, or at least that’s SHE’S the boss- he’s just the driver. In 45 years of bike what Mom thought. He blew his front tire and ran right into ownership and marriage, John has never rode without his a Model T coming down the road.” Thankfully, John’s dad lady on the back, proudly declaring “If it’s runnin- she’s on made it safely through that ordeal, but he decided that he it!” should hang up his riding boots and just stay in his chore boots, at least until the kids were raised. ~Pinky As I mentioned earlier, John’s brother started out on a
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gear is that they generally have some sort of reflective Tips For Riding A Motorcycle In The Rain material, which is not a bad idea at all to have. Some This year has been an exceptionally wet year so far, other little tid bits follow: and hopefully by the time you are reading this, that Try to always wear proper rain attire, phase has passed. I am certainly not counting on it Gore-Tex type of materials are generally by any means, as the long term precipitation forecasts better as they can breathe, but still keep call for more than normal amounts. We were spoiled the water out. Make sure your helmet or last year with both temperatures and lower than other headwear covers your face, since normal rainfall, which just seems to make this spring rain on a motorcycle can sting a bit. and summer grind on even longer weather wise. As it Make sure your tires actually have is something that we just have to deal with, we thought some good tread; slicks are bad on wet we would share a few tidbits of information that we pavement. The road becomes super have learned over the years of riding in all conditions. slippery in the rain, and painted lines, road tar, things like man hole covers can Many people will simply not ride in the rain. With become quite hazardous. that, enough said, end of story, move on to the other Grooved pavement can be especially articles and pictures in the magazine. I know that I treacherous as water pools and can cause sure have many times been caught out and about pulling and even hydroplaning. That is with a wonderful forecast and a downpour in the bad enough on four wheels, let along two. same day. We just have to deal with it and go on. I Also keep an eye out for the puddles, you don’t think that I have ever heard a biker say that they never know how deep or what may be in cannot wait to go for a ride in the rain, but it is just a them. downfall of our chosen two wheel, open air, choice As we are always taught in cages as well, of transportation that we occasionally end up in it. It the first stages of rainfall make the road could be a long trip, a storm that brews up quickly, the slickest and most dangerous. If you or just not paying attention to the clouds, but we will can, let some of the rain wash off the oil, get wet occasionally. As long as it is not a torrential debris, and dirt before trekking out on two downpour, or a storm with tricky winds, riding in the wheels. rain can be no big deal. There are a lot of things to take into account when riding a motorcycle in the rain, but one of the most important ones is that you have to dress appropriately. Having your normal jacket and even proper pants might not be enough. If there’s a light drizzle, it probably will not be a problem, but when there’s heavier precipitation, water that is usually cold will seep through your clothes and make its way onto your body, and that is when we start to get into trouble! If we get our core wet and then cold when riding, that is a recipe for trouble. That makes riding miserable, your mind gets distracted from the task at hand, and you could end of getting sick or even worse.
riding in the rain
If you have a chance of ending up in the rain, pack gear accordingly for the travel time and distance. Make sure that you have gear that will keep you as dry as possible. Shorter trips require less gear, especially if you are close to home or camp, but on the longer hauls, make sure you have waterproof jacket, pants, boot covers, and even gloves. These items can literally be a life saver. Pick and purchase your gear at a reputable outlet. Many times riders will grab the cheapest gear at an outdoor type of store, only to have shredded rain gear in about 20 miles. Not that some of this stuff won’t work, but the material ideally needs to be wind resistant as well as water proof. Breathability is a wonderful feature as well. The gear does not have to have a particular brand name on it, but just choose quality gear that is meant for the task at hand, to keep you dry on a motorcycle ride. Another good feature of motorcycle types of Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa on Facebook
When braking, utilize the rear brake more so than the front. Front wheel skids can put you down, but rear wheel skids although not pleasant, are more easily corrected. Increase following distances when it is raining. The longer response times and decreased visibility make this a must. Also, even though few things slow me down, riding in the rain is one such situation that I will roll off the throttle. Try to keep in mind the speed of other vehicles on the road though, as driving too slow makes you a hazard as well. If you see lightning, call it quits for now. Find cover wherever you can, just not under a tree. Gas station awnings, car washes, and even bank drive through canopies can all be good places to seek some shelter from the rain. In most instances you can even maneuver the bike out of the way of normal traffic. Riding in the rain is sometimes necessary, just to get to where we need to go, but it does not have to be miserable. Despite the wetness, it is still a ride! Ride safe and enjoy! Vernon
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or a snack or answer a call of nature, but that isn’t an issue with Dead in 5 Heartbeats; this movie will have you glued to your seat. DI5H was produced by Jeff Santo of Santo Films, an independent film production, distribution and consulting company created by Santo and Christie Collins. Jeff has over 18 years of dedicated independent filmmaking experience. DI5H is his third feature film. It was shot in 24 days on location in Arizona. A large majority of the fictional motorcycle club members in the film, The Infidelz, were played by real MC members. The other MC’s featured throughout the film are authentic and from the state of Arizona. Since these guys are not highly paid, highly trained and groomed Hollywood types, DI5H takes on a certain air that makes you truly feel you’re right there with them, running down the AZ highways at 80 MPH or throwing punches in a good old fashioned bar fight.
Dead in 5 Heartbeats Sometime last fall, I picked up a book an acquaintance of mine had laying around and started leafing through it. The book was titled Freedom – Credos From The Road and was written by Sonny Barger. The few pages that I had read really struck a chord in me, so not long after that, I had my own copy and had found the Official Sonny Barger Facebook page to follow. This is where I found references to a movie that was adapted from Sonny’s novel, Dead in 5 Heartbeats. I enjoy movies and shows about bikes, bikers, and the allure of the 1% way of life. I watch Sons of Anarchy regularly, I’ve watched other “reality” biker shows, and I have found a 6 part mini series out of Australia about the bikie clubs Down Under. One thing all of these have in common is that they are all glorified and laced with way too much Hollywood. Dead in 5 Heartbeats leaves Hollywood behind. The story follows former (fictional) Infidelz MC President, Patch Kinkade. Patch has attempted to put his personal demons behind him and moved out into the calm of the Arizona desert, but trouble arises between his Infidelz brothers and the Hooligans, a rival MC. Kinkade rides back into town and must decide to either make peace or do battle. I don’t go to movie theaters often, in fact I don’t think I’ve been to one in a couple of years, until this weekend. I like to be able to walk away from my DVD player set to pause so I can get a drink 44 - TRMI JULY 2013
Dead in 5 Heartbeats is being played at theaters across the US this summer. You can find a complete list on the official website www. deadin5heartbeats. com. Unfortunately, there isn’t an Iowa showing (I rode to Minneapolis just to watch it) and by the time this review hits the pages of TRMI, the movie will have moved on to Chicago, Cleveland, and Birmingham. Unless you are already going to be in the area of one of the future theater dates, you’ll have to wait until mid to late September when the film is released on a 2 disc DVD package that will include a behind the scenes and a “making of” disc. This will be on my “must have” list. David McCoy
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“Shorty, Tell Me a Story” My name is Beth Short and I will be 45 years old this year. I fell in love with motorcycles when I was a young girl and rode my first motorcycle on my Aunt Carolyn’s acreage. I enjoyed my time on that old dirt bike and made that lil bike go as fast as it could, wide open down that gravel road. Fast forward to today and I ride a 1995 Heritage Stroker. Much like every rider, every bike has a story and this is my bike’s story.
so the biggest change made to the bike came with a new black paint job. However, in honor of Brett, the rocker boxes stayed teal. Tate was an ornery type of fella, one you could always count on for help but one who would pick on you to show you just how much he loved you. I can’t tell you a specific number of times he drunkenly knocked that bike on its side, stumbling by and bumping into it while at a bike rally in Conesville one year. I know it landed on its side a minimum 8-10 times over ONE night, so much so that we just quit picking it up. Tate was one of those guys (we ALL know them) who sometimes thought it’d be a great idea to ride off on two wheels after one or two too many beverages; I think he’d attempt it just to see how we’d stop him. One time we had to duct tape him to the lawn chair in order to stop him from taking off. He loved everybody and loved messing with his friends just to pass the time. Unfortunately, in 2006 Tate suffered a fatal heart attack while riding this bike and the bike was severely damaged. Knowing we’d just lost one of our closest friends, we couldn’t let that bike get away as well; so my husband and I bought the bike.
Every Bike Has a Story
The Heritage Stroker originally belonged to Brett Brekke; after we lost Brett in a motorcycle accident in 2004, the bike was purchased by my brother in life, my best friend and neighbor Tate Snyder. Tate made his own customizations to the bike over the few years he rode it, including installing the Stroker kit. I had always dreamed of riding a blue bike and Tate didn’t want to steal my bike dreams from me by painting the bike ‘my’ color;
After fully repairing the Heritage Stroker, we decided to paint it blue (my dream color). It took me a long time to trust my bike; every time I’d get on it, something would break or go screwy; just like Tate was messing with me from heaven. Now, I love to ride it and am so glad that we have this bike to serve as a memento of our brother in life, Tate Snyder. So, if you come across this bike laying on its side at a rally, don’t worry -- it’s just a ‘family’ tradition! Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa on Facebook
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blast from the past
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From November 1954 American Motorcycling
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One day, the teacher walks into her classroom and announces to the class that on each Friday, she will ask a question to the class and anyone who answers correctly doesn’t have to go to school the following Monday. On the first Friday, the teacher asks, “How many grains of sand are in the beach?” Needless to say, no one could answer. The following Friday, the teacher asks the class, “How many stars are in the sky?” and again no one could answer. Frustrated, little Johnny decides that the next Friday, he would somehow answer the question and get a 3 day weekend. So Thursday night, Johnny takes two ping-pong balls and paints them black. The next day, he brings them to school in a paper bag. At the end of the day, just when the teacher says, “Here’s this week’s question,” Johnny empties the bag to the floor sending the ping-pong balls rolling to the front of the room. Because they are young kids who find any disruption of class amusing, the entire class starts laughing. The teacher says, “ Okay, who’s the comedian with the black balls?” Immediately, little Johnny stands up and says, “Bill Cosby, see ya on Tuesday!” A married couple have been stranded on a deserted island for many years. One day another man washes up on shore. He and the wife become attracted to each other right away, but realize they must be creative if they are to engage in any hanky-panky. The husband, however, is very glad to see the second man there. “Now we will be able to have three people doing eight hour shifts in the watchtower, rather than two people doing 12-hour shifts.”
The husband looks out from the tower and says, “Son-of-agun. From up here it DOES look like they’re screwing. A man entered a restaurant and sat at the only open table. As he sat down, he knocked the spoon off the table with his elbow. A nearby waiter reached into his shirt pocket, pulled out a clean spoon, and set it on the table. The diner was impressed. “Do all the waiters here carry spoons in their pockets?” The waiter replied, “Yes. Ever since an Efficiency Expert visited our restaurant... He determined that 17.8% of our diners knock the spoon off the table. By carrying clean spoons with us, we save trips to the kitchen.” The diner ate his meal. As he was paying the waiter, he commented, “Forgive the intrusion, but do you know that you have a string hanging from your fly?” The waiter replied, “Yes, we all do. Seems that the same Efficiency Expert determined that we spend to much time washing our hands after using the men’s room. So, the other end of that string is tied to my penis. When I need to go, I simply pull the string, do my thing, and then return to work. Having never touched myself, there really is no need to wash my hands. Saves a lot of time.” “Wait a minute,” said the diner, “how do you get your penis back in your pants?” “Well, I don’t know about the other guys, but I use the spoon.”
The newcomer is only too happy to help and in fact volunteers to do the first shift. He climbs up the tower to stand watch. Murphy’s Laws on Work Soon the couple on the ground are placing stones in a circle to make a fire to cook supper. The second man yells down, “Hey, A pat on the back is only a few centimeters from a kick in the no screwing!” They yell back, “We’re not screwing!” pants. Don’t be irreplaceable, if you can’t be replaced, you can’t be A few minutes later they start to put driftwood into the stone promoted. circle. Again the second man yells down, “Hey, no screwing!” The more crap you put up with, the more crap you are going Again they yell back, “We’re not screwing!” Later they are to get. putting palm leaves on the roof of their shack to patch leaks. You can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a Once again the second man yells down, “Hey, I said no clipboard. screwing!” They yell back, “We’re not screwing!” Eat one live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. Eventually the shift is over and the second man climbs down Never ask two questions in a business letter. The reply will from the tower to be replaced by the husband. He’s not even discuss the one you are least interested in, and say nothing halfway up before the wife and her new friend are hard at it. about the other. 56 - TRMI JULY 2013
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C.O.I.R. Report
Coalition of Independent Riders I thought it was time to remind everyone what and who C.O.I.R. is. The Coalition of Independent Riders was founded with the understanding that it takes more than members of motorcycle clubs and riding associations to provide a true voice for all motorcyclists. The Coalition of Independent Riders unites independent riders with other motorcycle organizations when man power and boots on the ground are needed to address a “Call to Action” (C.T.A.) that affects all of us in the motorcycling community.
from all walks and rides of the motorcycle community. Independent riders registered with C.O.I.R. are men and women, independent cruisers, sport and dirt bike riders, and even non riders who understand that protecting our constitutional rights is everyone’s responsibility. The time has arrived when all motorcyclists should come together in solidarity to defend the Constitution of the United States and protect our right to ride. “A Constitution is not the act of a Government, but of a people constituting a government and a government without a Constitution is a power without a right.” ~Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, 1791
Register as an independent A C.T.A. can be legislative, rider with C.O.I.R. and take judicial, or community your place in motorcycling outreach during times of history. Do your part to disaster. Participation is keep motorcycling and true highly encouraged, but it is expression of freedom! I call not mandatory. The C.O.I.R. is not a motorcycle on all of you to do your part, let your voice be heard, club, motorcycle rights organization or motorcycle and support your Right to Ride. association, and the C.O.I.R. is not membership funded. There are no annual dues, or regular meetings to attend. We only ask you to participate in Questions or Comments: peter@riderpromotions.com an occasional C.T.A. so our voices can be heard in unity. The C.O.I.R. is a registration of independent riders
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Tuesday d
Friday
Desperado’s Wheatland Lynch’s Bar Rockwell City Outfield Richland Tallyrand Keota Krazee Kafe Des Moines Missippi Brew Muscatine Chrome Horse Cedar Rapids (2nd Tuesdays)
Avenue of the Saints (2nd Friday) St Charles Thunder Nites Newton-Second Friday May thru September Knoxville Bike Night (1st Friday) Knoxville Captains Quarters (2nd Friday) Adel Spanky’s Bar & Grill Emerson Bike Down to I-Town (3rd Friday) Indianola Woody’s Roadside Tavern Albion last Friday Starr’s Two Wheel Tap Davenport
Wednesday
Saturday
Do Drop (Under the Water Tower) Jamaica Beer Barn and Grill Kirkman Shenanigans Boone Wild Hogs Walford Quaker Steak & Lube Council Bluffs Rusty Duck Dexter Joe’s Night Hawk Waverly OP Clear Lake Cadillac Jack’s Baxter Rides Bar and Grill Fort Dodge BluePort Junction Davenport Shuey’s Shueyville The Pour House Davenport
Winterset Bike Night (3rd Saturday) Winterset The Buck Snort-Biker Breakfast Sat AM- Neola Rendezvouz Lounge Adel Von Tuck’s/Dave’s Place Oelwein Rumors Mt. Pleasant Cruise Into Madrid (Selected Dates) Sunday Haverhill Social Club (3rd Sunday) Haverhill Scooter Sunday 411 Main Griswold Team 36 Mitchellville Broadway Sports Bar & Grill Des Moines The Bonneville Lounge Danville
Thursday Roar Into Harlan (3rd Thursdays) Screaming Eagle Bar & Grill Waterloo The Buck Snort Neola BJ’s Full Throttle Thursdays Waterloo Iron Saddle Saloon Dayton Dexfield Diner & Pub Redfield Throttle Thursdays Dillon Bros HD Omaha (1st Thursdays) Gathering on the Grounds Fairgrounds (Selected Dates) Bronson Bar Bronson Beach House Humboldt Ducky’s Lagoon Taylor Ridge Il. Kings Korner Grand Mound Daytonas Des Moines McGrath Cedar Rapids (Last Thursdays) The Wagon Wheel Washington Crossroads Tavern Kelley Brooklyn’s in Ottumwa inside the Bridge City Bowl The Wagon Wheel Washington Crazy Coyote Burlington, (3rd Thursdays) Krazee Kafe Des Moines Crossroads Tavern Kelley (every other) Jesse’s Saloon Silvis, IL Grid Iron Grill Webster City 60 - TRMI JULY 2013
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Aug 17 Super Saturday BBQ Route 65 Indianola Aug 17 “Where are we at?” Poker Run Foxy’s Osceola Aug 17-18 32nd Annual Baxter Days Marne Aug 18 Iowa State Fair Motorcycle Day Des Moines Aug 18 Iowa Make A Wish Ride Council Bluffs Aug 23-25 9th Annual BTW Trike In Kellogg Aug 23-24 Big Barn Demo DaysDes Moines Aug 24 Backroads Biker Leather Shoppe Fall Classic Everly Aug 24 B.A.C.A of Central Iowa Bike Bash 2013 Aug 24 Dillon Bros HD 11th Birthday Bash Omaha Aug 24 Big Barn Fall Open House Des Moines Jun 29 WinoPalooza Conesville Aug 25 6th Annual QC Ride for the Cure Jun 29 Benefit Poker Run Loess Hills HD Pacific Junction Aug 29-Sep 1 Circle of Pride Thunder In the Sand Conesville Jun 29 Ride it Out for Amber Des Moines Aug 29-31 Chief Blackhawk 42nd Annual Fall Meet Davenport Jun 29 Day of the Hog Poker Run Dillon Bros HD Omaha Aug 31 Vic’s Main Tap 5th Annual Fun Ride Audubon Jun 29 Roar Into Harlan Kevin Kjergaard Memorial Run Harlan Aug 31 Muscular Dystrophy Benefit Poker Run Madrid Jun 29 Veterans Reaching Out to Veterans Poker Run Brighton Aug 31-Sep 1 Midway Tavern Soldier Valley Run BBQ, Street Dance Jun 29 Beat the Heat Motorcycle Show Mason City Soldier Jun 29 Benefit “A Love Run For Adalynn” Bridgewater Sep 1 Crazy Carl’s Bloody Mary Run McGregor Jun 29 Shenanigans Pub “Freedom Run for Vets” Dubuque Sep 5-7 Davis Rally New Hampton Jun 29 Zylstra HD 4th of July Celebration Ames Sep 7 Silly String Run East Dubuque Jun 29 4th Annual Zach Mendoza Scholarship Poker Run Council Bluffs Sep 7 Piranha Club Poker Run Carroll Jun 29 Tirrill Park Concert Manchester Sep 8 Hill Climb and Swap Meet Anamosa Jun 29-30 J&P Cycles Open House Anamosa Sep 13-15 Ink & Art Expo Dubuque Jul 4-6 ABATE Freedom Rally Algona Sep 14 2nd Alzheimer’s Poker Run/BBQ/Street Dance/Rally Jul 6 6th Annual Freeman Ride Avoca Exira Jul 6 Dirty Ernie’s Fun Run Farley Sep 14 1st Annual Last Hope Animal Rescue Poker Run Marion Jul 6-13 Metro HD Week Long Open House & Poker Run Cedar Rapids Sep 18-21 Bikes Blues & BBQ Fayetteville AR Jul 11-13 Nitro’s Biker Bash Gravity Sep 20-21 Rumble In The Stalks Conesville Jul 13 Goozman’s Westside Poker Run Harlan Sep 21 ABATE D15 Leaf Run Davenport Jul 13 ABATE D15 Taco Run Davenport Sep 21 Jessica Peine Memorial Ride/Music Festival Muscatine Jul 13 Moose Riders Annual Benefit Poker Run Cedar Rapids Sep 21 Super Saturday BBQ Route 65 Indianola Jul 13 Angel Ride to Save the TaTas Fort Dodge Sep 21 Roger Bellville Memorial Ride Cedar Rapids Jul 13 “South by Southwest” Poker Run Foxy’s Osceola Oct 5 Battle On the Bluff Help Us Fight For Savanna Dubuque Jul 13 Ben Schmitz Memorial Ride Dubuque Oct 5 Crazy Carl’s Leaf Run McGregor Jul 14 Yellow Ribbon Run Werner Cycle Works Omaha, NE Breast and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Ride Cedar Rapids Jul 19-20 4thAnnual Todd Weaver Memorial Ride and Concert Center Point Oct 5 Oct 6 ABATE D-15 29th Toy Run w/ USMC Reserves Davenport Jul 19-20 8th Annual Motorcycle Rally Cedar Falls Oct 11-12 Iron Invasion Woodstock, IL Jul 19-21 Road Guardian’s 13th River Road Fundraiser Dubuque Oct 12 Crazy Carl’s Leaf Run McGregor Jul 20 Super Saturday BBQ Route 65 Indianola Oct 17-20 Biketoberfest Daytona Beach Florida Jul 20 Warriors Across Iowa Eddyville Raceway Nov 29 Turkey Run Clinton Jul 20 Ladies Poker Run Spare Time Ute Dec 7 7th Annual “Santa’s Lil’ Diva’s” Event Cedar Rapids Jul 20 C&C Cycle Open House/Anniversary Party Chariton Jul 20 Tirrill Park Concert Manchester J 2014 ul 20 Iowa Lakes Scholarship Poker Ride Estherville Jul 20 kandieskidz.org Military Motorcycle Raffle Reinbeck Jul 20 Crazy Carl’s Poker Run McGregor Jan 11 Retro Rewind Dubuque Jul 20 Women’s Ride by Windbags Atlantic Jul 20 100 Ryderz Motorcycle Club’s Bike Show Des Moines Jul 27 Pre-Sturgis Poker Run Dillon Bros HD Omaha Jul 27 6th Ann Brooke Barber Memorial Poker Run Mount Ayr Jul 27 Deb Laughlin Memorial Ride Dubuque Aug 1-3 6th Annual Across the Border Raid Bedford Aug 5-11 South Dakota Party This list is what we have found and what has been Aug 9 Rumble Run Party DubuqueHD submitted. Before heading to any event, please check Aug 10 AtlanticFest Ride In Bike Show Atlantic Aug 10 3rd Annual Josh Davis Memorial Poker Run Perry weather and make sure the event is not cancelled Aug 10 Hope Ride for MDA Dubuque Harley-Davidson for some reason. Not responsible for misprints and Aug 10 Rocktastic 2013, Stuart Aug 10-11 ABATE D15 Too Broke for Sturgis Donahue typos. If you have any other events to list, please email Aug 16-17 American Victory Rally Spirit Lake them with Date/Name of Event/Location to vernon@ Aug 17 Ride to Live 4 Gibbie Fun Run Boone Aug 17 Bob Ezarski Memorial Run Iowa Falls thunderroadsiowa.com Aug 17 ABATE D21 Rodeo and More Miles Aug 17 Badger Fireman’s Ball/Fun Run Badger
This list is what we have found and what has been submitted. Before heading to any event, please check weather and make sure the event is not cancelled for some reason. Not responsible for misprints and typos. If you have any other events to list, please email them with Date/Name of Event/Location to vernon@thunderroadsiowa.com
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