April 2007 - The Biking Life
Transcription
April 2007 - The Biking Life
In This issue: The big man writes from daytona, a thursday night at bikers corner, and most of your regular favorites The Staff Jim Furey - Publisher Jennifer Furey - Managing Editor Kim Kirgan – Writer/Sales Rep Joy Furey - Exec. Asst. Brian Dillender - Photojournalist David Camden - Photojournalist Dave Monachella Jim Harvey Bob ‘Old Skool’ Bradford - Writer / Sales Bryan ‘Griz’ Womack - Writer / Sales William ‘Killer’ Miller Cher Petrovic - Photographer John Skala - Photojournalist The Biking Life PO Box 448 Troy, IL 62294 Office (618) 531-0432 [email protected] Cover: Ruff Ryders Motorcycle Club and a shot from Daytona Beach. The Biking Life magazine is published monthly by Bi-State Biking LLC. All rights reserved. The publisher assumes no liability and can not beheld liable for errors beyond the space occupied by the error, slander of any group or individual, failure to produce any issue as scheduled for reasons beyond our control, any and all lawsuits for liable, plagiarism, copyright infringement and unauthorized use of a person’s name or photograph. Opinions and claims made by advertisers and authors are theirs, and do not represent the policy of The Biking Life magazine. If you are still reading this get a life. 3 Letter from the Publisher By James Furey Welcome to our April issue. I will apologize right now. All of my editors are unavailable to me this month, my sister Jennifer is preparing to move and my wife Joy is in the hospital as I write this. She apparently has some heart issue that they are trying to get a handle on. Oh good news Joy has been released, apparently according to some imbecile doctor at the hospital, her problem was a pulled muscle. This is the same place that earlier told her she passed out from a bladder infection. I’m no doctor; however, I like to play doctor whenever possible. This diagnosis left me incredulous, so I asked him do people really pass out from a bladder infection? To which he replied they could—yeah and monkeys could fly out of my ass, but chances are they won’t. Enough about that, I may rail against medical professionals at some later time. Because, though it doesn’t have any thing to do with riding, we all see them at some point in time. On a happier note I would like to thank John Skala for his two fine articles we printed last month. One was on the Antique Motorcycle Show and the other was on the Missouri state ABATE meeting. You will be reading more and more from John in the coming months. He is a welcome addition who can write as well as take excellent pictures. We also have some other new additions to our staff, one is Bob “Old Skool Bob” Bradford. Bob will be doing some writing as well as sales for us. He is off to a great start and we appreciate his efforts. Another is Patrick ‘Trick” Lowth. Trick is a multi-talented young man who is doing sales and representing us in other ways in the Westplex area. Trick is the founder of the “Fat Boys Ride with Pride” and has a long history in the motorcycle arena. Dave Monachella is another new member of our staff although he has long been doing things in the background for this publication. The riding season is well upon us now; you can tell that from the way the ride calendar is filling up. There are just a ton of events already and this is basically the first month of the riding season. The month opens with the first bike show of the year at TJ’s Bar and Grill in Pevely, MO, and culminates with the Gypsy Rendezvous the last weekend of the month which encompasses the Harley Drags and The Biking Life magazine’s Bike Show on the 29th. Gypsy Rendezvous events take place at three local Harley dealers: Dale’s in Mt. Vernon, IL, Surdyke’s in Festus, MO, and Gateway to the West on Lemay Ferry Rd. I urge you to check out the flyers for more details on these events. There are a lot of other fun things going on this month including the Moonshine Burger Run on the 14th and a Memorial Run for Kyle Price on April 28th. Kyle was the young man slain in Iraq about a year ago. He was immortalized in a bike customized by Dale’s Harley Davidson and now a not-for-profit organization has been set up to establish a scholarship and benefit other good causes in this heroes name. Lastly, the 15th of the month is the Thunder Alley Swap Meet at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds in Belleville, IL. We hope to see you at some of these events and we invite you to check out our website. Some enhancements have been made and we have added a blog. Now you can talk to me anytime you want throughout the month. As always—have fun, be good and ride safe. 5 Motorcycles, Scooters & ATVs 5 pm o t 9 am h BQ t 5 B y * a M Sat. B I K E S r Shootout, * D N BA Raw powe Horse les ff Artist, n Hand, Ra o o t t a o T y Reps r o t c a F ear! Y e h T Of y t r a P st e B e h T It’s Home of 7 kitchen table he sketched a rough draft of what he envisioned in the build. And a remarkable thirty five days later 35 days later, The Bone Saw was finished. Why was this remarkable? Because the talented build team worked on the trike in their spare time, because there were five other bikes they were building for customers at the same time. All fabrication was done in house including the frame, rear end, tank, front fender, and saddle. DNA Specialties supplied the springer front end and it is powered by a Harley Davidson 80" engine strapped to a 5 speed transmission with a jockey shift. The trike has a 3" BDL. Open Primary. The oil flows through the normal cables and lines but also utilizes part of the frame for a little extra cooling. While these folks are very talented some of the work was farmed out to experts in their fields, the custom water jetting was done by Amelex from I got the chance to sit down and talk to the guys at Springfield, MO, the powder coat, prep and paint was Scorpion Choppers at the recent bike show at the courtesy of C.M.C., all engraving was done by Ray Family Arena in Saint Charles, MO. When it comes to Caliendo of Clever Concepts. DN Graphix, Sparta, shear brilliance and extreme engineering, these fellows MO. really worked on a tight schedule to get this are at the top of the game. The builder of this radical project done by the rush 34 day deadline, but boy did v-Twin trike dubbed The Bone Saw for its mind ripping they deliver! There is so much richness and detail in appearance saw blade brake rotors and running boards, their work, to see it you would have thought it took is the owner of Scorpion Choppers, Russell Moore. months to prepare and shoot, but DN Graphix believes They had done a few trikes in the past while building in quality and service and we would be remiss if we their custom choppers and just wanted to build a V- didn’t mention James Meyer pinstriping for the Twin trike that would really push the limits while also finishing touches he provided. catching people’s eyes. But the main goal was that the trike be reliable and affordable. The Bone Saw By OLDSKOOLBOB The concept for the bike was developed out of Russell’s wild and fertile imagination. One night at a friend’s The trike sits on a 140 front tire with two 295 50r 16’s in the rear. It sits an unbelievable 18" from saddle to road and is 8 ½ feet in length. Obviously stopping was a big issue in design, the unique solution they came up with was to have GMA brakes run off one foot peddle. You ask how? Well let me tell you they use a two master cylinder system. When pressure is applied to the peddle, the rear cylinder is engaged, then when more pressure is applied the front is engaged with the rear giving you about a 70/30 breaking ratio allowing you to stop on a dime. Russell and the crew at Scorpion Choppers have a great product, no doubt because they love what they do. They should, they do it well. Check them out their shop is located check at 1137 W. Kathryn, Nixa, MO. 65714. Can’t make it there then call them 417-725-7611 or visit their web site www.scorpionchoppers.net. I assure you these are great people with great products! 9 Classifieds Charity Starts At Home Based on an article by Steve “Wildman” Howard The Biker Fund….”Bikers Helping Bikers”…. By Biker For Bikers The Hartbauer/McBride Memorial Foundation, Incorporated, will be presenting their Annual “Bikers Helping Bikers” Benefit Dance on Saturday, June 16 at the Goff-Moll American Legion Post AND their Poker Run on Sunday, August 26th which will end at Crehan’s Irish Pub. These two events are where the Foundation gets the majority of its funding for the year. The personal intervention and attendance at these events by members of clubs, organizations, associations and chapters, helps to make it possible for the Hartbauer/McBride Foundation to furnish financial assistance for the coming year. Your help will be greatly appreciated by the volunteers of the Hartbauer/McBride Foundation and the bikers and/or their families who need assistance. For the dance, the gates will open at 6:00 PM with music starting at 7:00 PM and continuing until midnight. The location of the Goff-Moll American Legion Post 101 is 2721 Collier Avenue in Brentwood, MO. If needed, please call (314) 961-3262 for directions. The bands playing for the benefit are Ben Wah Bob and Red Ass Jones and the Gold Bondsmen. There will be attendance prizes, raffles, silent/audible auctions and a TRUE 50/50, the very same things you get with the large organizations and all this for $12 per person; however, unlike with some of the other charities, the monies raised stay here, in your backyard, at home and help your sisters and brothers. DIRECTLY and ONLY affects bikers and their families… The Biker Fund… “Bikers Helping Bikers”… By Bikers For Bikers. If Biker Jim has to take a leave of absence from work because of illness or injuries to assist his wife, children and/ or himself and has stretched their financial funds and insurance to the breaking point… how can they handle the crisis with a temporary loss of steady income? Through the generous tax deductible donations the biking community makes to the Hartbauer/McBride Foundation, that’s how. The tax status of the Foundation can even allow you to continue to support this worthy cause through your estate. For information on how to set this up, contact your financial advisor. The Hartbauer/McBride Memorial Foundation members are all unpaid volunteers—so more of your contribution is used to help bikers and/or their immediate families who have suffered a monetary crisis within a 100 mile radius of the Gateway Arch. The board members from The Foundation take pride in the fact that they have always supplied a helping hand…when proof has been provided…for any motorcycle oriented enthusiast and/or a family member of same, irregardless of colors worn, brand of motorcycle, origin, sex, ethnic background, et cetera. However, the Foundation is not an alternative to taking responsibility for your own actions or paying your own bills when you can. For any questions regarding “Bikers Helping Bikers” through Hartbauer/McBride Memorial Foundation and/or its Board Members, please feel free to contact Steve “Wildman” Howard at (636) 675-3123. I will be more than pleased to present myself for any open-air-discussion over a cup of coffee. Thank-you for your support. Bikers hearts are enormous and their wallets and/or purses have always been generous. Biker and biker organizations have helped to support the numerous charities that have sprung up over the past few years. There are many personal reasons why bikers may support a particular charity and sometimes… for no other reason than to “run with the pack”. Bikers have all been affected, directly or indirectly, by the issues these various organizations support, though sometimes bikers do not have the luxury of donating time, but do have the option of donating money… or vice versa. The Hartbauer/McBride Memorial Foundation, Incorporated, is a different kind of charity…it is a charity that 11 DAYTONA BIKE WEEK 2007 by The Big Guy Builders Association show on Thursday. Donnie Smith, Aaron Greene, Dave Perewitz, Billy Lane, Kim Suter, Cyril Huze were all there for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies Thursday evening. Outside the track, one could walk for days in the rows of aftermarket vendors, custom motorcycle manufacturers, OEM demo rides, food vendors—you name it, it was there to be seen and/or bought. One booth even had a Chevy small-block powered barstool! Vendors and displays were also located at many other places like Beach Street, Main Street, US1, DeLand ,Orlando and out at the new Destination Daytona (Destination WallyWorld, as the locals refer to it) where we ran into Michelle Smith and the crew from American Thunder TV. Bike Week 2007 started off like a lot of previous bike weeks. RAIN! And lots of it. Tornadoes ripped through Georgia and Alabama on the first Thursday on the way down, killing 11 statewide in Georgia, including eight at a high school. The weekend brought more showers, but the sun came out on Sunday and made itself at home for the rest of the week with temps in the 70’s. Thank the Big Guy for this one! Staying inside the track at Daytona International Speedway was a fabulous experience. The RV pads are positioned all along Lake Lloyd, which runs the length of the back straightaway, making for some incredible views of the racing that took place all week long, from AMRA sport bike racing to vintage motorcycle racing, to the SuperCross on Friday night, finishing with the Honda 200 Superbike race on Saturday. Our passes also allowed us entry to Daytona USA (an experience in itself), the Nextel FanZone, and even Winner’s Circle! Inside the track the International Builders Row was set up with several master bike builders from around the world displaying their latest, with the International Master Bike Bike shows included Wednesday’s Harley-Davidson show outside at the Ocean Center with the HD new bikes and products show going on inside. Friday featured a great show at the boardwalk along the beach near the pier at Main Street. I thought this was the best venue ever to host a bike show until Saturday’s Rat’s Hole show at the Daytona Lagoon, normally a water park that is transformed into a two-level outdoor bike show for the day. They even drained the swimming pool and put the trike class inside it! Riding and exploring the area found us cruising “The Loop” north where the trees have grown together over the road, creating a canopy-tunnel if you will, all the while hoping to catch a glimpse of a ‘gator or croc’ in the swampy wetlands that run right up to the road. After the Loop, we headed south along the beach to the lighthouse at Ponce Inlet for more photo ops. Riding downtown near Main Street SUCKED! Sitting in traffic FOREVER to go ANYWHERE is not my idea of a nice cruise. While the police presence seemed less than previous years, we still saw more than your fair share of tickets written for just about everything. And for a moment, while I’m in the bitching mode, get this continued on page 14 13 – a hotel on Speedway Blvd was getting $199 on Tuesday for a regularly $79 room, with the price going to $299 on Wednesday, and ending at $399 a night for Thursday through Saturday! Racing at the track tickets were $10 on Monday, $20 on Tuesday, $25 on Wednesday, $35 on Thursday & Friday, and $45 on Saturday! OK, I’m done. All in all, I have to rate this year’s Bike Week as pretty good, given the fantastic weather and a little less intervention from Big Brother (our last trip to Daytona netted three tickets in a quarter mile on the first day). Early week rain and late-week sunburns aren’t too bad when you remember it snowed in St. Louis recently. Remember, “Read It Like You Stole It”, and RIDE IT, too. 15 SUPERCROSS RACING by Killer Miller Once again the modern day motorcross gladiators took to the floor of the ED Jones dome to do battle in the Amped Mobile FIM AMA Supercross Grand Prix. It was a very special night as it was the last time that the GOAT, Ricky Carmichael, would race a supercross event in the city of St. Louis. After all the championships and race wins (two perfect seasons without a loss), the Greatest Of All Time is hanging it up to go car racing, and we here at The Biking Life wish him all the best. After wandering the pits watching the girls, the action as crew members got things ready, the tire guys doing their thing, the big stars like Reed, Ricky and James signing autographs for fans that show their allegiance in many ways (like the girl in the Ricky Carmichael shirt), the time comes when you need to push out and go to work. After the big introductions, the SXLites started the program. Heat one saw last week’s winner Dungey on his factory Makita Suzuki take the win over Tomny. Sites on the Kawasaki was third with Mike Allesi rounding out the top 4. Heat 2 saw Lane on a Kawasaki Kx250f take the checkered flag first. The last chance qualifer had Clark and Lewis round out the field of 20. Now came the time for the big guns to take over the track. With Carmichael only racing a limited season and Reed coming off a win in Seattle due to a miscue by Stewart, everyone wondered if this would be the race where Chad Reed would break through again like he did last year, if Stewart would show his dominance once more or if GOAT would leave his fans happy with a win. Ricky showed his style and speed with the Makita Suzuki 450 in the first heat with a win over Chad Reed’s Yamaha, while Windham Bryne and Preston made up the rest of the top five .The second heat saw Stewart’s KX450f, sponsored by Monster Energy Drinks, just run off and hide from Ivan Tedsco and the rest of the field as he has done most of the season. Ferry, Ramsey and Sorbey made up the top five there. The main heat was set and the board girls positioned. It was time for the cream to rise to the top. This was one of the better races of the evening, with a three bike duel between Ben Townely, Dungey and Doug Flange (hope that’s right) beating bars for the entire race. A last lap gonzo move by Flange saw him misjudge a set of doubles and take out the second place Dungey, who had fallen earlier in the sand, giving the win to his Kawasaki teammate, Ben Townley. The main event—all parties were set and the gate dropped. Once again, Reed got a tremendous holeshot with James right behind him. Ricky, however, was buried in 7th on the #4 Suzuki, but wait! Reed and Stewart took each other out giving the lead to the more or less privateer rider Eric Sorbey on his Kaw. He rode as hard as he could as both Reed and Stewart tried to relight their mounts with GOAT flashing by. Starting dead last, Stewart knew what he had to do, beat Reed. Reed had the same thought and Ricky could sense a win. Ricky passed Sorbey on the fifth lap and was never headed, while Stewart rode one of the best races to finally get back by Reed. Then, realizing he would still leave Gateway with the points lead, he sat back and watched his friend and the GOAT take a fan favorite win, making his fourth big bike win (the most in St. Louis) and fifth overall at the Dome. Afterward some words were exchanged between Reed and Stewart, but neither rider would comment, so only they know what was said. Once again, Victory Lane, Fabick , Amped Mobile and everyone else involved put on a great show. You can see this race annually; it marks the end of winter and the start of racing, but next year it will be minus Ricky Carmichael. Thanks again for all the great races. Killer and Kevin getting ready to go race ourselves. DO YOU COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS? A lot of people are doing taxes right now and taking inventory of what they have and don’t have. Have you counted your blessings lately? Your blessings may include possessions like your bike, but how about family, friends, life, and freedom. Last month we reminded you of the FORR Bike Blessing coming up in April. But this month I want to make sure you realize it’s possible for God’s blessings to be an everyday event in your lives — not a once-a-year event. In preparing for bike blessings, I’ve learned each blessing has two responsible parties: the giver and the receiver. The important point about a blessing is that it isn’t just a pleasantry like “Have a nice day.” It is to be taken as coming from God himself. We have examples of God giving blessings through his followers and believe that He still wants to bless us in these modern times. By giving His blessing, God is saying that he actively wants to help us and guide us. But He can only do so while we let Him. God has given all of us a free will. We can accept God’s help and guidance or we can go our own way. When we open our hearts and minds to Him and let God come in, we can truly be blessed. A blessing is also intended to call upon God’s protection and guidance for the future. We usually see this as the focus of our prayer during a bike blessing. I hear the same comment during each of our yearly bike blessings: “Last year I came to this Bike Blessing and I had a great year, so I want God to bless me this year.” Bikers may not readily admit it, but they want God’s protection and guidance for them and their families. Our greatest blessing is the relationship we have with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. We’re coming into the Easter season when we’re reminded of who He is and what happened to Him, and what He did for us. Take a few minutes to thank Him for the blessings you have. If you ever – ever – ever need prayer and want someone to pray with you, please don’t wait until we have a bike blessing. Contact any Christian biker in your area or call me and we’ll pray together over the phone. You can call me at (314) 434-2282 or e-mail me at [email protected]. The Missouri CMA State Coordinator is Clark Doughty, (816) 697-3077, [email protected]. If you’re from the Illinois area, the Illinois State Coordinator is Don (Vicky) Brown, (217) 629-8938, [email protected]. Our Missouri CMA website address is: http://cmascr4.org/MO/ GOODNEWSRIDERS Jim Waters President – Good News Riders Christian Motorcyclists Association Let me tell you this place rocks every Thursday night. I have made it a stop for the magazine for a while now and always tried to make the drop on a Thursday night but usually had to scoot on to some other drops. I got called on this too and I was asked to hang out so a couple of weeks ago I did. The place is owned by a good guy who everyone knows as Lonesome Child. He is a member of the Sundance Riders MC and he runs a very cool bar. Kicking it at “The Corner” by Jim Furey There are many things I’ve intended to do since I founded this publication, one was to make it as inclusive as possible. The Biking Life is intended to be the magazine for anyone who has an interest in motorcycling, regardless of who you are or what you ride. Regardless of good intentions, I haven’t always moved on these things as fast as I could have. Luckily though I have friends and acquaintances like Tyrone of the Night Crawlers MC. Tyrone has been on me for a few months reminding me whenever he saw me that white folk aren’t the only ones who enjoy riding. I knew he was right, but other than an occasional stop by the Sin City Disciples Club House when I could see they had an event going on I wasn’t sure where to go to find out more. Then I learned about Bikers Corner located at 1924 North Vandeventer in Saint Louis. This recent Thursday the weather wasn’t the warmest in the world but there were still a lot of bikes parked near the bar. These rides encompassed all types of Suzukis, Hondas, Kawasakis and of course Harleys as well. That was cool to see! I go to a lot of places and don’t see this kind of mix of rides. I was also truly impressed by the number of clubs that were represented, and that they all got along well with each other. Everyone in attendance made me feel welcome and right at home. But why shouldn’t I? I was with a group of people who share my passion for riding, and I finally got a chance to meet a lot of people that I had seen in passing at the Rat Run or at other local events. I met members from some of the female riding clubs, one of which was the aptly named St. Louis Hotties. I was lucky enough to meet Reggie and several other members of the Ruff Ryders. These guys had some awesomely different vests. They also have their Spring Explosion Car and Bike Show coming up on April 8th a t the Omega Center 3900 Goodfellow in Saint Louis. This event sounds like one hell of a party and will be hosted by Buffy the Body. In addition to a bunch of folks kicking tires and talking bikes and rides, there was also a DJ and a number of citizens enjoying what he was playing either by just listening or getting out on the dance floor. The bar serves up some good food, the drinks were cold and the bar staff friendly. I had a great time and plan on making this a more regular stop as the weather improves. I encourage anyone who is in the area to stop on in on a Thursday evening or anytime and check out what this fine establishment has to offer. 21 Biker Friendly Establishments Chains “Show-Me”s all Locations Illinois Alton/Grafton/Wood River Cellar Room Tavern 2704 E Broadway Alton(618) 4659874 Danny’s Lounge, 118 W. 4th St., Alton (618) 462-6787 Fast Eddie’s Bon-Air, 1530 E. 4th St., Alton (618) 4625532 Kopp’s Korner 838 E 7th St Alton (618) 465-9833 The Loading Dock, 400 Front St, Grafton (618) 786-3494 Porky’s 1543 E Edwardsville Rd Wood River(618) 2549380 Woodstock Lounge, 638 Broadway, Alton Wild Goose Saloon 1505 W Main St Grafton(618) 7868888 Belleville Crehan’s Irish Pub, 5500 North Belt West 618) 2346500 Dutch Hollow Barn, 533 Dutch Hollow Rd. (618) 2355868 Mitch and Nancy’s League Lounge, 1501 W Main St (618) 277-3643 Robin’s Nest, 1614 Mascoutah Ave. (618) 234-7432 Sheridan’s Frozen Custard, 5326 N Illinois St The Antique House, 3701 W. Main St. (618) 235-3434 TR’S Place 4901 Concordia Rd., (618) 277-7135 Cahokia/Dupo/Sauget Brandy Inn: 103 Water St. (618) 337-1101 Chopper Chairs (618) 531 - 3222 Carmi Danny’s Pool Room: 119 E Main Street in Carmi (618) 382-9987 Caseyville Dog House Bar and Grill, 601 N Main St (618) 344 -9781 Caddyshack Saloon, 2865 N. 89th St, (618) 397-4704 Collinsville/Edwardsville American Pride Collision 427 East Main St, C’Ville (618) 345-7872 Ardie & Tiny’s 100 Joe St. C’Ville (618) 345-4933 Good Times, 834 S Morrison, C’Ville Our Place, 704 Henry St, Edwardsville (6187) 655-1255 Jacksonville Don’s Place, 207 W Morgan St, (217) 243-2112 Maryville/Glen Carbon Judy Inn, 3730 S Hwy 157 (618) 288 - 9182 Sharky’s Sports Bar, 2537 Vandalia, (618) 344-0826 Granite City/Pontoon Beach/Mitchell Diamond’s Bar and Billiards 4020 Pontoon Rd, Poktoon Beach (618) 797-7110 Kopp’s Korner Too 1369 Edwardsville Rd Granite City (618) 798-9152 Luna Café 201 E Chain of Rocks Rd Mitchell (618) 931-3152 Smokey Joe’s, 3998 Lake St, (618) 931-2279 The Village Inn, 4015 Pontoon Rd., Pontoon Beach (618) 931-4497 Mt. Vernon The Crossing: 300 S 9th - 1 block off the square(rt.37&rt.15) New Baden Outside Inn, 423 W. Hanover (Hwy 161), (618) 588-4672 New Memphis Sit-N-Bull 31 S Mill Street (618) 588 - 3003 Old Shawneetown Hogdaddys Saloon Main St in Old Shawneetown (618) 922-1389 Quincy, IL/Hannibal, MO area Booters 112 W Main St, Mt Sterling, IL (217) 773-2381 Hard Times II 305 S Ohio, Camp Point, IL (217) 5937733 Kelly’s (A fun Place to Eat and Drink), 2902 Broadway (217) 222-5579 Long Branch Saloon, New Canton, IL (217) 426-2022 Sawyer’s Creek Riverview Cafe and Saloon 11011 Hwy 79 South Hannibal (573) 221 - 8221 Sparky’s, 221 N 5th St, (217) 224-7527 Sportsman’s Club 111 N Capitol Ave., Mt Sterling, IL (217) 773-9096 The Other Place, 105 S Main St, Hannibal, MO (573) 221-4114 The Back Porch, 715 Oak, Quincy, IL (217) 223-8800 Southwestern Illinois Bobeck’s Sports Bar & Grill, 1324 Jamie Ln Waterloo (618) 939-8300 fax(618) 939-2901 Copperhead Tavern 24266 Hwy 96 New Canton Crawdaddy’s, 121 W Main St, Mt Olive (217) 999-2090 Falling Springs Club, 2200 LePere Ln. Dupo (618) 286-4440 Fountain Inn, 1912 Fountain Rd. Valmeyer (618) 9352266 Freeda’s Bar, 2071 Main St Renault, Gallagher’s Get-A-Way, 102 S. Richland, Freeburg (618) 539-5208 Good Tymes Bar and Grill, 200 N. Main St. Dupo (618) 286-9693 Jody’s, 1301 9th St, Highland (618) 651 - 9301 Just Sue’s Tavern, Evansville (618) 853-4425 Karban’s Knotty Pine, 4569 Buss Branch Rd., Waterloo (618) 473-9954 Kountry Korners, 5866 Floraville Rd. Milstadt (618) 4761346 L & D Patio, Bar & Grill Hwy 3 McClure 618-661-9106 Lisa’s Bar and Grill, Prairie DuRocher (618) 284-3374 “Papa” Wheelie’s, Old Rte 50, Trenton (618) “ A full throttle sports bar” Rick’s Corner, 201 S Union St Staunton (618) 635-3088 S & J Main Street, 608 N. Main St. Columbia (618) 281-9997 Smitty’s at the Marina, New Athens Sporto’s Pub & Grill, 211 S. Main Street, Red Bud (618) 282-7956 The Dawg Haus 102 S. Main St. New Douglas 217456-7072 Sports Page Inn, 2635 Old State Rte 3, East Carondolet (618) 286-5628 Thirsty’s, 415 Vine St, Eldred Willie’s Corner, 128 W. Market, Red Bud Springfield Knuckleheads, 2000 Peoria Rd., 62702 (217) 789-1488 Pony Keg Leathers: 2026 S 11th St (217) 544-3774 The Cove 1616 N Dirksen Pkwy (217) 753-1760 Missouri Arnold 21 Rock, #1 Meramec Heights (636) 282-7228 live music every weekend Barnhart Your Payday Advance Co., 7125 Metropolitan Blvd, Ste 106 (636) 467-5447 Charlack John & Judy’s Charlack Pub: 8334 Lackland Rd., Rock Bands Fri and Sat Nights (314) 423-8119 Defiance Terry and Kathy’s - Defiance, MO on Hwy. 94 about 9 miles south of Hwy 40 Fenton That One Place: 1005 Majestic Dr in Fenton, MO (636) 861-1902 Fredericktown Little Joe’s Bar and Grill, 1317 Hwy OO (573) 783-5452 Gray Summit Roadhouse 100, 2763 Highway 100 (636) 451-2007 Hazelwood Jack’s Iron Horse Bar and Grill: 12950 St Charles Rock Rd (314) 209-1280 Lake of the Ozarks Area Backwater Jacks Lakeside Bar & Grill Lake Rd. to Beach Dr (573) 348-6639 Cheeks Bar & Grill at the Square, Camdenton, MO (573) 346-5400 Gasoline Alley 324 W Main St, Warsaw, MO (660) 4384170 IM Tirebiters Bar & Grill, across from Shoney’s in Osage Beach(573) 348-1177 Risky’s Sports Bar, Hwy 54 West of Square Camdenton (573) 346-9740 Rock Island Line, “The Dam Bar” Bagnell Dam Strip Lake Ozark (573) 365-8911 Salty Dog Lakeside Bar & Grill, Lake Rd 54-37 (Jeffries Rd) (573) 348-9797 The Fish Tank on Hwy W Redneck Yacht Club, Hwy 54 West of Osage Beach (573) 348-1431 Town and Country Motel, 5451 Hwy 54, Osage Beach (800) 251 - 5677 Louisiana/Clarksville Eagles Nest Bistro, Hwy 79 (573) 754-9888 Lighthouse Inn and Restaurant – just across the river from Lousiana, MO (217) 437-2500 Steamboat Restaurant and Lounge on scenic Hwy 79 (573) 242 - 3225 Pevely TJ’s Bar & Grill: HWY Z & 61-67 (636) 475-3648. St Charles/St Peters/O’Fallon/Wentzville Porky’s Restaurant and Bar, 1203 5th St, St Charles, (636) 940-0142 Crazy Horse Saloon, 405 Bus Hwy 61, Wentzville, MO 636-327-9614 St. Louis Double D’s Hangout, 9853 S. Broadway, 314-615-9100 Frank’s First Alarm 7800 Virginia (314) 638-9272 House of Rock, Ronnie’s Plaza. Iron Horse Saloon, 7928 S. Broadway, Saint Louis, MO (314) 631Scott and Beverly’s Some Other Place Other Place 1500 Lemay Ferry Rd. (314)892-6969 Shady Jack’s Saloon and Deli, 1432 N Broadway (314) 241-Hogg fax (314) 241-TITS Southeast Missouri BoonDock Bar & Grill,-22712 US Highway 61 Morley (573)262-8899 Bootheel Saloon -Highway 142 Poplar Bluff Branding Iron BBQ,763 Maple Valley Dr, Farmington (573)756-1100 Branding Iron BBQ,1903 E Jackson Blvd, Jackson, MO (573)243-0007 Bullwinkle’s Pub, Hwy T off Hwy 60 E Poplar Bluff (573) 778-9278 County Ice House,H Highway, Benton (573) 545-9988 Danny’s Place, 1102 Linn Street, Sikeston (573)-4719984 Farmer’s Bar & Grill, Highway 62, Risco (573) 396-5572 Jim & Jerry’s Restaurant, Pub & Billiards 336 Vine St. Poplar Bluff (573) 686-2006 LeeBo’s Road House & Bait Shop - Highway 84 East, Caruthersville (573)359-4493 Mona’s Clymax II - 215 Ward Ave., Caruthersville (573)333-3003 Pockets, 1444 Independence Cape Girardeau (573) 335-2233 Scotty’s Sports Bar & Grill - 4802 West Village (PP Hwy.) Poplar Bluff (573) 686-9300 Stevie P’s, 207 Second St. Qulin Wheels Sports Bar & Grill, Highway 25 and Highway 62,Malden (573) 276-5512 Wild River Pub & Grill, 3765 Hwy W, Farmington Cuba/Rolla Joe and Linda’s Tater Patch, off I-44 Exit 186 (573) 368-3111 Branson/Springfield Midnite Rose, 18942 State Hwy 13, Branson West 100 MPH Club Benefit for Tim Foor by Cabbie February 24th The 100 MPH Club held a BB-shooting match and Chili party for Tim Foor of Belleville, IL. Tim has been battling cancer and he and his family really needed the help because of the financial drain this has been. The event started at noon and if you recall so did the rain. The club had put up a tent to provide some shelter during the match but the high winds that were part of the system brought down the tent and forced everyone inside into the clubhouse. These guys have a nice clubhouse too, but only because of all the time they have spent making it what it is today. It never fails though, though bikers always find a way to have fun no matter what the weather is. The band, Floodline, started at 6:00 PM and played until 4 or so. These guys donated their talents to support the cause and we thank them. Despite the weather we had a great turnout and everyone had a blast. The community showed up once again to support a worthy cause, eat a lot of chili and helped us raise a lot of much needed cash for this family. The 100 MPH Club thanks to all who came out and brought their wallets or purses. We didn’t do it alone though we had help from some other great co-sponsors all from the Caseyville, Fairview Heights and Belleville area, they helped with their kindness and we appreciate their assistance. The club holds many benefits at their clubhouse and the parties are always excellent. Watch this magazine and other places for upcoming events from the 100 MPH Club at our Caseyville, IL location, 8300 Bunkum Rd. You will be glad you did. Upcoming Events Weekly Events Wednesday Weasel Wednesdays at Double Ds Hangout 9853 S Broadway St Louis this is a fun group Thursdays STUNNA Thursdays At Paradise 1, 615 Missouri St East St Louis, IL (618) 482-5578 DJ Thursdays Bike Night at Bikers Corner at 1924 N Vandeventer Ave in St Louis, MO Thursdays Hardriders call their hotline (314) 340-2000 for info April 1st Bootleggers Poker Run Cellar Room, Alton, IL; sign-up 12:00-2:00 p.m 1st TJ’s Spring Fling Bike show registration at noon at TJs Bar and Grill Hwys 61/67 and Z in Pevely, MO with awards at 5:30 call 636-475-3648 for more info 7th Outlanders Spring Dance Wood River Round House, 7:00-12:00 midnight 7th Choppers and Chili Day at Shady Jacks Kelly Roades Ministries along with “Have Bible Will Travel” and Danny Liston(Mamas Pride) will feed your needs from noon to 5 for more info email [email protected] 7th Festus HOG Family Easter Egg Hunt at West Side Park in Festus at 2 pm 8th Ruff Ryders MC Presents the Spring Explosion Car and Bike Show 2 pm till the Sun goes down at the Omega Center 3900 Goodfellow hosted by Buffy the Body for info contact Reggie D 314-368-9057 14th April Anticipation Demo Day, come demo the 2007 models At Legacy Harley Davidson in Effingham, IL 14th Red Knights 1 Night Poker Run sign up at Firehouse Bar in Alton, IL from 6 to 7:30 14th Moonshine Lunch Run starts wherever you are but ends with one of the best burgers around in Moonshine, IL visit moonshine-run.com for details 14th Festus HOG Dinner Run from dealership to West Side Inn at 10:30 14th Matt Surdyke Birthday Bash all day at Gateway to the West Harley Davidson Lemay Ferry St Louis, MO 15th FORR Local 42 Hartbauer/McBride Poker Run email [email protected] for info 15th Paderborn Rat Pack Spring Poker Run sign up from 11 to noon at Karban’s Knotty Pine in Paderborn, IL 15th Thunder Alley Promotions Swap Meet gates open at 10 at Belle-Clair fairgrounds in Belleville, IL 15th USO Benefit Ride sign up from 10 to noon at Jack’s Iron Horse on St Charles Rock Rd sponsored by The Biking Life, Jack’s Iron Horse and the Hustler Club. 15th Motorcycle and Swap Meet opens at 9 AM in Ste Genevieve, MO contact Keith at 573-631-3922 or [email protected] vendors are welcome 21st Ted’s Spring Open House at Teds Motorcycle World in Alton, IL from 10 to 4 PM 21st Fourth Annual Britani Price Poker Run sign up 11 to noon at Campbell’s Harley Davidson in Marion, IL for details call 618-983-6177 21st Second Annual Blessing of the Bikes hosted by the Litchfield, IL Road Riders for Jesus will be held at Niehaus Cycle Sales Old Rt 66 N call Dave at 217 3242467 for info 21st - 22nd Bullwinkles Motorcycle Rodeo, Ride in Bike Show and Giant Two Day Swap Meet at the Starway Fun Park, 3350 Louisville Rd, Frankfort, KY for info call 502 223-7688 22nd Alton HOG Poker Run sign up at Ted’s Motorcycle World in Alton, IL from 11:30 to 1:30 PM 22nd Michael Coomer Scholarship Poker Run sign up at TJs Bar and Grill Hwys 61/67 and Z in Pevely, MO from 9 to noon 22nd FORR Local 24 Blessing of the Bikes sign up at 11 VFW on Midland Rd or Roadhouse 100 ends with the Blessing at Falling Springs in Dupo, IL 22nd American Legion Riders Poker Run sign up 10:30 to noon at Sparta, IL American Legion rain or shine event 27th - 29th 2007 Gypsy Rendezvous Weekend The event will included a St. Louis Nitro Party, Gypsy Rendezvous Ride, AHDRA Nitro Drag Races, bike raffle! www.gypsyrendezvous.com 28th 1st Annual Knights of the Word Fun Run, BBQ and Ride in Bike Show fun run starts and ends at Chariots fo Fire in Moscow Mills Plaza in Moscow Mills, MO festivities start at 10 AM 28th Dice Run starts at Dudes Saloon 2001 N 11 ST in Springfield, IL sponsored by Steel Justice MC sign up from noon to 1 28th 2nd Annual Kyle Price Memorial Ride starts at Woodlawn Memorial vehicles start gathering at 8:30 before the 120 mile loop festivities go on all day visit www.kylepricememorialride.org for info 28th NIGHTCRAWLERS MC 31ST ANNUAL DANCE at the 4 Aces Lounge on Broadway in East St Louis 9 to ??? Colors Only 29th 13th Annual Forsyth Motorcycle Swap Meet at Shadow Rock Park Forsyth, MO sponsored by FORR Local 15 Branson Tri-Lakes for info call 417 334-0775 29th Bush Pilots Poker Run sign up at Ted’s Motorcycle World in Alton, IL from noon to 2 29th 15th Annual Blessing of the Bikes at the Bald Knob Cross at Palo Alto, IL stew abd chili at 12 message at 1 sponsored by the Lords Paheece Chapter of the CMA 31 One Hot Ninja by Jim Furey I have featured many bikes in this publication since our start. While most have been Harleys or Customs with an occasional metric, this month we break new ground for us with our feature of one of the hot bikes that has been customized by Street Bikes Plus at 8009 St. Charles Rock Road in St Louis. I have been dropping magazines there for a couple of years, threatening many times to highlight one of their bikes but something always came up, you know life or something like it happens. Recently though, after talking to Donnell at Bikers Corner, I made up my mind that come hell or high water, this would be the month. So I showed up on a recent Friday and the first person I came in contact with was Todd Parker, the owner. Todd told me that he had already packed most of their sharp bikes to take over to race at Gateway the following day. That’s right if you can’t catch these guys at their shop, you can see them at Gateway International Raceway…I was going to say catch them but you know they do include Performance in their name so maybe you couldn’t. I’m pretty sure my Harley ain’t catching them. Anyway, Todd hooked me up with Brandon Burgett who was able to help me out. Brandon rolled out this very sharp 2006 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. This is one of their customer’s bikes but they have been wrenching on it. The custom paint was done inhouse and to add to the look, a Muzzy Full Exhaust System, a set of custom RC Wheels, and a lot of chrome accessories all have helped trick this bad azz ride out. I asked Brandon how quick this machine is and he said while the speedometer registers up to180 mph, no one knows how fast it really is. This shop is about making your ride look good. They have parts and accessories for all major brands, even the Motor Company. They put bikes together for sale, do a little consignment selling, will help you chrome out your bike so it has just the right look and do repair work too. Like I mentioned earlier, these guys are big supporters of the local drag racing scene. In fact I first met them at Gateway International three years ago. Since then their business has steadily grown, and that only happens for a couple of reasons. They do business right and they treat their customers well. If this is what you look for in a shop, you need to go check these guys out AND the prices on their bikes make it worth the trip. Supercross Excitement Returns to the Dome By John Skala The name of the dome stadium, the primary sponsors, the riders, even the engine types have changed, but the excitement of Supercross in St. Louis continues. Supercross was first run in 1974, but it didn’t come to St. Louis until 1996. In the inaugural race, Kansas City native, Jeff Emig, passed Jeremy “Showtime” McGrath on the last turn of the last lap to win the first St. Louis Supercross main event. Not only did this break McGrath’s record setting string of consecutive race wins at 13, it also was the only loss Jeremy suffered all season. Supercross is run on a dirt track inside the Edward Jones Dome. The track layout changes from year to year and from location to location. The layout this year had the riders making six passes back and forth across the field in each lap. On each lap the riders go through the large mounds that sends the bike flying high into the air, the smaller whoops that give the suspension a good workout, a sand section and even an off camber 180 degree turn. After a few laps the riders are spread across the course and there are challenges for position all of the track. Sometimes the battle is for first place, but the action is just as fierce for third and fourth place and all the other positions. Scanning the track, it is difficult to take in all of the action as it is happening simultaneously all over the track. The races are broken into two classes, Supercross and Supercross Lites, based on engine size. The Supercross Lites class limits engines size to 125cc 2 stroke or 250 cc 4 stroke engines. Most of the riders in the Supercross class are now running 4 stroke 450 cc water-cooled bikes. The factory bikes may look like the stock bikes you can get at your local dealer, but they are made of more exotic parts that can push the price over $40,000 a bike. To save 5 to 8 pounds for example, the bike are outfitted with titanium hardware and fasteners that costs about $5,000 alone. There are several heat races and a last chance qualifier to set the field for the main event in each class. All together there were eight races plus an exhibition by the 7 and 8 year olds on identically prepped 50 cc KTM minicycles. In the main event there were 20 riders all heading into the first turn vying for the $1,500 hole shot award and the lead. Chad Reed, last years winner here in St. Louis, got off to a great start, and got the hole shot. Chad would later get tangled with James Stewart on the opening lap and take them both down. Within four laps, Ricky Carmichael, who got, a poor start, was in the lead and moving away from the pack. Stewart had trouble restarting his bike after going down in the first lap and temporarily ended up in last place. James fought back and began passing multiple bikes on each lap until he caught up to Chad who was now in second place. Another exciting pass and James Stewart was ahead of Chad Reed and set his sights on Carmichael. Ricky continued to run a superb race, lapping the slower riders and stayed ahead of James for the win. With that win, Ricky became the only person to win four main event races in St. Louis Supercross. Ricky is retiring from Supercross and going to race with four wheels in ARCA and NASCAR. He is only racing in two Supercross events after St. Louis so we may have seen his last career Supercross win. In addition to seeing today’s Supercross stars, there is just as much excitement in the Lites class where we have seen Travis Pastrana, Chad Reed, James Stewart and Ricky Carmichael coming up through the ranks before they became the Supercross stars they are now. If you haven’t been to a Supercross race yet, you should consider going next year. With over 58,000 people attending this year, the best seats go fast, so plan to get your tickets early. AMA members get a $5 discount when you order online, but the best deal is getting your tickets at a participating dealer where you don’t have to pay all the service and handling charges that erase the discount. I’ve always gotten great seats at Donelson’s along with a free pit pass, but you have to get there early also as they quickly go through hundreds of tickets. We Are Not On Main Street But We Are A Nice Ride From Anywhere Iron Hog has great financing plans available regardless of history. We also offer the Midwest’s Best prices on ‘06 Harleys, there is a two year warranty on all new customs and Harleys. We have bikes available as low as $2,000, EVOs, Pans, Shovels & Ironhead We are still building dreams but we also feature a full line of parts and accessories from NOS systems, bars, rolling chasis and of course we always feature Iron Hog Custom Motorcycles, if you want to make sure you are getting the best deal you must check us before you buy. We guarantee the rider in your house would love something under the tree from Iron Hog Cycles. Leathernecks Turn Up The Heat The Illinois Chapter of Leathernecks hosted their 4th Annual Chili Cook-off on February 24th, 2007 at the Northenders VFW in Springfield, Illinois with Leathernecks from the northern and central Illinois groups in attendance. At the cook-off, there were 50/50 drawings, silent auctions, active open bar, a DJ, and of course the tasting of the chili. Although the weather was rainy and chilly, there was no lack of warmth at this event! Eleven entrants vied for the best chili with the attendees being the judges. The judging was difficult due to the great tastes of all entries, from mild to medium to hot and then there was hot-hot, the real heat. In addition to the chili, there were some very tasty desserts too. The open to the public event resulted in a great time had by everyone. All proceeds went to various veteran Funds: Families of active duty Marines, veterans who have been disabled or burned, and many others including the 3 to 4 annual trips to the Danville VA hospital. Veterans in the Danville VA Hospital, as in many others, are in need of donations, including everything from toiletries to all types of clothing, tee shirts, underwear, socks, etc. The visits to the VA hospital in Danville are heartwarming events, as the donations are handed out and games are played. Just talking to many of the vets will make you realize America is still strong and that they should never be forgotten. As is said, You Will Get Your Reward in Heaven. In closing, I personally would like to thank Jim Furey and his wife, Joy, for making this trip to Springfield, as well as the staff at The Biking Life Magazine. As Marines will State Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful) Thanks Again NIKON Biker Biz Bits Mike Fort pictured above in his shop Biker Brother, 301 E Broadway in Alton, IL. Mike sells leather riding gear and all kinds of other stuff bikers need. Mike opened his shop last fall and is doing well but we though we’d help introduce him to our readers. Ardie and Tiny’s located at 100 Joe Street in Collinsville, IL, okay there isn’t really anything new here but what there is that is new is a nice horse racing season and Ardie’s is right acroos the street from Fairmount Park and a great place to meet before heading over for a night of watching the ponies. Say hi to Ardie while you’re there. Wide Open Bike Show 2007 By Monty The Family Arena is where the Wide Open Bike Show was held this year. A very nice place to ride to, which we also do every October for the March of Dimes Ride. For a bike show though, this venue is a little small, even though the Wide Open crew did an excellent job of using all available space. on. It was nice to see Canyon Run’s booth where they had frames and all sort of chrome goodies to entice show patrons. Doc’s Harley Davidson had a display with some trikes and Mardi Gras t-shirts. A couple of Victory dealers had booths and were showing off all the new models! DJ from Big Boyz had his new convertible bagger there—this bike is so cool. One minute you have a full bagger, then quickly you can remove the windshield and bags and have a fat tire pro street bike! KC Creations had their biker build-off bike there plus another half dozen gorgeous rides. Thunder Mountain was well-represented too. One thing I noticed this year was the wide variety of trikes: a V8 trike, vintage trikes, customs and stock styles. One trike that caught a lot of attention was called Frankenstein, very low and very cool! The main floor was full of vendors and bikes and the upstairs was loaded with bikes and clubs like Abate of Missouri which held a raffle and gave out information to all who were interested. The Vietnam Vets had a booth and were spreading information and selling pins and patches. There were also some vendors on the upstairs deck who were having raffles and selling all sorts of goodies. Of course there were a few problems at the Show, but they were handled correctly and quickly. A few of the rules at the arena were dumb (in this rider’s opinion) like you can’t take a pocket knife into the arena but you can buy one inside and carry it around, and everything was very expensive. But hey you’re at the arena—what do you expect? The main floor showcased most of the best bikes, but there were a lot of great things to look at! Miss Sturgis was there signing posters and taking pics with fans and the girls of Pure Evil were running around their booth. Of course, you can’t forget the Hooters girls who were posing for pics on bikes with the some of the crowd. Quite a show if I have to say so myself. In addition, there were plenty of leather vendors and a couple of patch vendors who were doing a big business sewing patches All in all the show was quite enjoyable and Wide Open made a nice donation to the March of Dimes Ride of Missouri. This show seems to get better every year, and it’s a good place to go to see great bikes, good looking girls and get ideas for your next project. Hope to see you there next year! Until then ride safe, have fun, and keep the rubber side facing down. Help SEMO Help the People There is an annual event that many of you look forward to every year, that event is known simply as SEMO. The Hosts for this fun filled weekend rally encourage all who attend this year to bring some canned goods. The area that the event is held in was devastated by the Taum Sauk Reservoir disaster. This is an area of Missouri that made its living on the tourism the reservoir brought and now the effects of the disaster still haunt them. The residents desperately need the goods you donate to the Reynolds County Food Pantry and this simple act will make you feel good for doing something for someone else. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Lesterville Fire Department to help them buy some much need equipment. This year marks the 26th Anniversary of the SEMO Run What Ya Brung Field Events. This is not only among the oldest annual events staged every year, but it is also one of the most fun. Can you believe that after 25 years it still only costs $20 for a weekend of live music, field events and much more? The entry donation also gets you a camp site for the weekend. There are hot showers available and everything you need to never have to leave the grounds. This will be the second year at the new location just outside of Lesterville, MO. The people I spoke to last year really liked the new campgrounds and had nothing but praise for the location. There have been improvements made to make this year’s edition even better. The gates open at 8 AM on May 20th and then the party begins. The events wills tart at 3 PM on Saturday. After you get setup and are awaiting the beginning of the events there is beer and food on site to help you pass the time. If you want to do something else then I suggest you jump on your scoot and check out some of the best riding Missouri has to offer. This area offers some of the best twisties around and is scenic too, with many small streams crossing there region. But then you got to get back to the site to check out the always entertaining field events. This year the events will include the Weenie Bite, Slow Race (our man Killer Miller is always a favorite to win), a Donut Contest, and many others. This motorcycle event is for Americans by Americans There will be improved signage to the site this year and if you think this is near the area where the dam broke it isn’t. The roads here are in great shape. The local folks were so happy with the way last year’s event turned out that you can expect them to roll out the red carpet for you. This is a great time and I urge you to come down and share some fun with your bikers. For more information you can either call (314) 421-7246 or you can call the Black River Chamber of Commerce at (573) 637-2500 for info about the area and the event. 43 St. Baldrick’s and Locks for Love By Monty Monachella When I arrived at Helen Fitzgerald’s Irish Grill and Pub, people were everywhere! It took 20 minutes to park across the street. Irish dancers put on an excellent show and I, for one, really enjoyed it, although based on the crowd’s reaction, so did everyone else. The crowd was buying t-shirts, beads and all sorts of goodies to help raise money for great causes, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation which supports childhood cancer research and Locks of Love. Groups of volunteers raised money and then got their hair cut off. Long hair, short hair, not much hair at all, man, woman or child, it made no difference—if you sat in the chair it was gone! Of course that was why we all were there— HELPING to make a difference! Cancer is a horrible sickness especially where it concerns children. No child should have to go through the pain and suffering that always seem to along with this disease. A child’s life should be happy and fun with interesting things to do, not full of tears and pain. Thanks to the good people at St. Baldrick’s, Helen Fitzgerald’s, Anheuser Busch, Sybergs, Doc’s Harley Davidson, Kuna Meat Co., K Y 98, and a host of others going the extra mile for these kids, there is hope for their future. Taking part in this event is a great way to help, whether by volunteering or attending. Not only does it support great causes, but it’s a lot of fun for everyone. Personally, I wish to thank all of those who took their time and energy to help out and to all the sponsors who helped without whom this would never have happened. THANKS!! I hope to see more of you riders at the next event. Until then, be safe and keep the shiny side up. Hardtail Humor The FBI had an opening for an assassin. After all the background checks, interviews and testing were done there were 3 finalists. Two men and a woman, for the final test, the FBI agents took one of the men to a large metal door and handed him a gun. “We must know that you will follow your instructions no matter what the circumstances. Inside the room you will find your wife sitting in a chair. Kill Her!!!” “The man said, “You can’t be serious, I could never shoot my wife” The agent said, “Then you’re not the right man for this job. Take your wife and go home.” The second man was given the same instructions. He took the gun and went into the room. All was quiet for about 5 minutes. The man came out with tears in his eyes, “I tried, but I can’t kill my wife.” The agent said, “You don’t have what it takes. Take your wife and go home.” Finally, it was the woman’s turn. She was given the same instructions, to kill her husband. She took the gun and went into the room. Shots were heard, one after another. They heard screaming, crashing, banging on the walls. After a few minutes, all was quiet. The door opened slowly and there stood the woman, She wiped the sweat from her brow. “This gun is loaded with blanks” she said. “I had to beat him to death with the chair.” MORAL : Women are evil Don’t mess with them !!!!!!!! tHE iNK sPOT This nice-looking tattoo belongs to the lovely Reine Knobbe. Reine and her husband, Jan, own Chariots of Fire Customs located in Moscow Mills. Linda Rippe, who works out of Flashbacks in Troy, Mo, laid down the ink. The colors in her tattoo all represent the birthstone colors of her family: red for her husband, yellow for her, blue for her daughter and purple for her son,. She knows that a tattoo is nothing more than ink unless it has significant meaning, as it is then, that it becomes art, just like the bikes they create in their shop. So stop in and let them help turn your bike into a work of art. And tell them The Biking Life sent ya. Think your ink belongs here then send it to the [email protected]. We are always on the lookout for great tats. The Biking Life Magazine is always looking for customer service oriented salespeople/contributors Currently there are openings for: Springfield/Branson MO area Springfield/Decatur IL area If you live here or elsewhere email us jobs@thebiking life.com