Ronzrides

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FAUNSDALE

9/30/10 They should rename this one Funsdale. If you like to drink and party this is the place to be.

They stress that this is a "bike" rally so if it isn't a motorcycle, it will be parked. But if you can't stay up on 2 wheels they do allow 3. The security

and the law were the only exceptions. The law had a fort set up in the camping area and constantly patrolled the grounds, but that was only to make sure everyone was having a good time. It was obvious they were not there to stop

a good time. Night time was the right time with body painting, body shots, pole dancing and just

plain bike rally party. On stage were the band and adult contests. Daytime was the poker run, bike show, vendors, bike games etc.

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U.S. Military Vets Event

9/25/10 Mississippi State Chapter's first annual was held at the Cabana Lounge and Grill in

Gulfport, Ms. There were vendors, food and entertainment with a live band by the pool. Yes,

you heard right, this bar has a large fenced in area with a pool. And again I ran into Jandy's Imports from Slidell. Seems every event I go to I'll run into them. The pool area is really beautiful

with plants and palm trees and very well manicured. One tree that was damaged by Katrina was carved into a totum pole. It was a

really nice day for the event and just to hang out by the pool and listen to the band. I saw at least 6 different clubs represented at the event. The parking lot was huge so plenty of good parking on concrete. There were several vendors, food and a bikini bike wash with some really hot chicks. This was the first year so hopefully it will continue in the years and grow into something really big.

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END OF THE SUMMER BASH

9/16/10 This was my first trip to this rally. I haven't quite figured out why they call it the End of the Summer Bash. The weather was still in the 90's and people partied like there was no

end in sight. The event was held at Yogi Bear Campground in Lake Charles, La. But don't let that deceive you this was an adult bike rally. The campground was really nice with plenty of trees, a couple of ponds, a large covered stage area, cabins, small store and an island in one pond with goats. Gravel roads but not as dusty or hard to ride as some I've been to. Plenty of staff in bright orange shirts to help with any problems. Was not a large bike show but there were some

unique bikes and some really nice trophies

There was a large participation in the bike games. They had to demonstrate one game called "Honey I'm Home" where the announcer announces "Honey I'm Home" (He is the husband). The wife is in bed with another man who has to jump up get dressed, jump thru a framed window, onto his bike and cross a line. This is a timed event but the hi light was the demonstration with 2 women in bed. I think the

husband was just pissed because he didn't catch them. In the squirrel game the squirrel had to be blindfolded and pick out the 2 nuts that belonged to them.

The lady was the squirrel, the man was the tree. You'll have to figure out the rest. One lady did say it was not easy to find the nuts with all those big roots in the way. One game I really didn't understand was the burnout. I just don't understand how anyone thinks they can take a 800 lb. bike and push a 32,000 lb. Case dozer. Not a soul pushed it an inch, but hey, these are bikers. They burnt up tires till they popped, burnt

a clutch and no telling what other damage trying to push it. But what a bunch of good sports. They didn't even get mad when they found out someone forgot to release the handbrake on the dozer. As usual our friends with Thunder Roads, La. were there with their new reporter to the

to the Lake Charles area "Pebbles". This was a large campground and gravel so as usual the

main transportation was golf carts and utvs. The people at this rally were all about party and really a good bunch. "Coonass" as he wanted to be called, who I had never met before invited us over to eat ribeye steak smothered in alligator. I told him I wasn't hungry but he would not take no for an answer. I guess I finally showed him what a pig a man who wasn't hungry could be. I've eaten gator before but never ever that good. I just couldn't quit eating. And if you got tired of the partying you could always take a midnight
raft ride in the pond. Just make sure the gators are all asleep. They think we are pretty tasty too. I tried something new for this rally. My first computer date. Although she had never been to a rally before she rides and does bikenites so being from Lake Charles she knew some bikers there. Today she's probably marking her calendar for the next rally.

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BIKENITE AT GROG'S

9/15/10 Bikenite at Grog's turned to Blues Nite.
Seemed the highlite of the night was Michael Grimms winning on America's Got Talent so it was appropriate to have a couple of guys playing on stage at Grog's who may have inspired Michael when he was a young man.

It was a great night of blues with Dennis DeVilbliss, Steve Warren and Ricky T. They stopped a song right in the middle to watch their friend Michael win his award knowing they too have the talent and with the right breaks could be right there with him. There sure were a lot of
Michael Grimm fans in the house. Even the

owner of Grog's has backed Michael up on the harmonica. Owner of Grog's, Greg says he will have the blues band back on bikenites. This was

my first bikenite at Grog's. It seems like it can develop into a good one.

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9-11 POKER RUN

9/11/10 The Red Knights La. Chapter poker run was

positively the largest single poker run I've ever been on. Registration was at the Marrero-Estelle

fire station. For the number of people, the amount of paperwork and the explanations for the run, the parade and the festival, the lines

moved relatively quick. All riders were treated to catfish and jambalaya at the fire station. When I

walked outside there were a couple hundred bikes in the parking lot. I was absolutely stunned and amazed at the turn out. A lot were leaving for the first stop so I hooked up right in the

middle. As we pulled up to the Avondale Truck Stop (which also has a casino) I was more amazed to see a couple hundred bikes already there. They also had free food. The crowd was so huge, I opted to not draw a card and just use my hand as a donation. The money benefits families of fallen firefighters. This is a great cause and especially to put it together on 9-11. I was able to beat the crowd leaving for Rodney's McGuires Pub but you guessed it, there was

already a crowd starting when I arrived. River Road is very busy with curves so Rodney was in the middle of the road in a bright shirt directing traffic. Again inside was free food and $1.50
longnecks (I love it when the bars put in their own donations to make sure everyone has a good time). Luckily I had not pigged out already so I got a small plate of jambalaya and some green beans. Holy smoke! I'm not a big on green beans but these were fantastic. The

crowd was growing bigger so I headed out to the

Kamp where we were greeted by the Harahan firefighters and the American FLAG. I hope everyone took a little time to say a prayer for all who lost their lives in that cowardly ruthless act

on 9-11. Also what we can do to get this country back to the strong, respected nation we once had. Anyway back to the Kamp. Well of course

more free food. I had to stay away from the food so I could ride. Next stop the Clubhouse. What a

a crowd. We were greeted in the parking lot by the management to explain the quickest way to get your cards, free food or $1 canned beer.

They even had a band playing outside. By then

I had to get inside for a little a/c. Then it was on

to Big Al's and D&L Powersports. More free food but not just food, they had boiled shrimp and

shrimp in some kind of gravy or rue or something this redneck has never tasted before but it was great. This was the last stop on the poker run so now it was on to the Neon Moon for the parade. This place was huge and Oh No! More free food. A little after 4pm we saddled up for the parade. By this time there had to have been 600 bikes.
No sooner that we cranked up the bottom fell out. We went from zero to soaked in less than 10 seconds. I opted to pull out and take my wet miserable tail back to Ms. But I was told there was over a thousand bikes at Boomtown. Oh, in case anyone wants to know the story on my

porky passenger I had strapped on, I was told that swine wards off the evil muslims and after all it is 9-11. Oink Oink

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YOUR MAMAZ HOUSE BIKENITE

9/8/10 After clearing the hurdles of permits and the Health Dept.'s regular bs, Your Mamaz House is back in business.

Around 50 bikes showed up on Wed. night for bikenite. With a great view of the river,

fans and a downstairs bar, most people hang out downstairs. Also on the weekends downstairs is very popular with boats coming in and out for refreshments. On bikenite they

feature $2 domestic beer and free food. When their full kitchen opens there will be food specials. If you like the outdoors, downstairs is a

great place to hang out. Upstairs has a nice full bar and a big screen behind the bar. There is no lack of a/c and the food was up there so guess where I hung out. Your Mamaz House is about a mile north of I-10 on Cedar Lake Rd. in Biloxi. Just north of the bar is some really good riding thru the country with curves and good scenery of the rivers and back bay. This is a great little stop on a weekend ride.

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LABOR DAY BIKER PARTY

8/30/10 The Labor Bay Biker Party was huge as usual. People started to arrive on Sunday morning before the party to set up camp. This is the real calm before the storm. The party doesn't officially start until Thursday, but the crowd starts rolling in on Wednesday to jump start their own party. From there the

the crowd grows every day. I'm starting to see the ladies getting more and more involved in the

festivities, bringing their own golf carts and toys to ride around the campground. Even riding

some really cool bikes that they have a hand in designing and building. There is plenty going on with a poker run and bike games during the day. Also the ever popular water slide during the day.

There are bands and adult contests during the night. The pole dance is also a popular night
time attraction. The mechanical bull runs day and night. The crowd really throws down at night with a constant parade of bikes, carts and all kinds of home made contraptions riding thru the campground. Everyone celebrates with their

own brand of "cheer". The party goes on into the early hours of the morning. The weather was really nice for this rally with a little breeze during the day and cool at night. Oh, I almost forgot, they also have a bike contest.

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GGMC POKER RUN

8/28/10 The Galloping Goose M.C. held their 4th annual poker run on Saturday. It had

stormed since the early hours so I called to see if the run was still on. I was told that their club was used to riding in the rain and they had advertised rain or shine but anyone that was uncertain of their riding skills needed to keep the safety aspect in mind. There was no lightning so even though I do have some doubts of my skills I threw on my rain suit. I was running late so I went straight to the second stop. It was at Tabby

Cat's that I encountered a group of riders mostly from La. But one couple from Kansas City had ridden for 988 miles stopping only for gas to visit their friends and decided to do this poker run. Holy S__t Batman! Superman has never sat in a motorcycle seat for that long at a time! They were planning on riding back the next day. All this in the rain. And it was "100%'n" it's ass off.

I had never been to Tabby Cats. There was a nice little crowd for a rainy day. As promised the

GGMC was there dealing cards. After drawing the first card on my official worst hand I proceeded to the bar where I was greeted by a bartender with some of the best personalities

uhhhh... I mean't to say the best personality I have ever seen. Yeah yeah personality without the s. Sometimes I get a little distracted. I can give you a couple good reasons. Tabby Cat's is a nice little place in Pearl River on Hwy 11. Looks like a great place for a weekend stop. Next it was on to Slidell and stop at Tooloula's.

It was another nice little bar I had never been to. Then across the Hwy 11 bridge to N.O. East to Treasure Isle on Hayne at Downman Road.

It was there that I found out the owner of Treasure Isle Tavern was with this group that adopted me at Tabby Cat's since I had no idea where these bars were. I love visiting places where I've never been. Especially when they are biker friendly. I appreciated this group letting me tag along. I will say they aren't scared to give the throttle a full workout even in the rain. Next and finally it was on to the GGMC clubhouse on Painter's St. in N.O. This is a huge, nice building with downstairs as a bar and lounge area and upstairs private to club members. The neighborhood looks a little rough but I was told they never have any problems at the clubhouse. Huh! I wonder why? Guess it would be like a flock of chickens trying to take over a wolves den. There was plenty of cold beer and plenty

to eat. The night was young and everyone

seemed in great spirits. From the time I walked in the door, I could feel in the air that something big was about to happen. Then it came. It was time to patch and welcome Solo as their newest in the brotherhood.
None of the visitors had any idea they would witness this. I guess club members are all used to it but the pride in the air makes a visitor feel honored to see such an event. Congratulations Solo!

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SANDY HOOK BIKER PARTY

8/26/10 This rally is starting this Thursday. This is the premier adult biker party. This is more of a party biker than a rally. Some do not even bring their bikes because there is so much other other action going on. People start

arriving a week ahead of time to capture what they call the good camp spots. what is a good spot? Who knows because the party is thru the whole campground. They still have all the bike

rally events with bands, contests and games.

I may add that the contests are strictly adult and only 21 in the campground. All the regular bike

games are in full swing during the day. And this huge bunch of party animals will not let anything stop them. Rain = UTV sledding and mud wrestling. Heat = swimming pools and super soakers. Dust = hoses and more super soakers. Lightning = camper pileins. Hail = haven't had it yet but I'm sure it will be a hail of a time.Weather

does not stop this crowd. And you can't miss the giant water slide. Early on it was recognized that bare skin is slicker than cloth. There is a steady stream of golf carts thru the campground to view

the sites and find their friends to party with. Plenty to see and do but some ride around just

to show off their nice golf carts and provide a little entertainment for spectators who just like to lounge at their camps and watch the action. But let me tell you, "Night time is the right time". People ride from camp to camp, one party to the next. Each camp has their own unique idea for a party any where from daiquiris, spin the wheel games, breezy bull riding, bead giveaways, panty giveaways to the all time favorite, pole dancing. Sorry I didn't post night pictures. You'll just have to come see.

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YOUR MAMA'Z HOUSE RE-OPENING

8/28/10 Yes this is a re-opening for Your Mama'z

House since they were shut down by the health dept. This is my outside observation. The city had inspected and given permits to open. The health dept. shut them down anyway. After court, a couple months passing and some costly changes to a building that operated for years they are finally allowed to re-open. This pisses me off for a business to go thru all this. Folks, we need to take our Country back! Whether you come by bike, boat or car, this is an ideal spot to stop on the weekend for a cold one.You can sit down stairs and enjoy the

entertainment and scenery or go upstairs and enjoy the air conditioning and scenery thru the glass doors.When I say sceney, I'm talking about the view of the river and the really fine

watercraft that stop by. The riding around the bay and the rivers back there is beautiful and Your Mama'z House is the place to stop and take a break. They will be opening Aug. 28th and the Grand Re-Opening party is Sept. 5th.

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PIT STOP BIKENITE

8/25/10 The Pit Stop is the home of the original Bikenite. For around 25 years the Pit Stop has hosted a weekly Bikenite. Back then, I didn't even know what a Bikenite was. I heard of their Bikenite somewhere at the end of the 90's. I frequented the Pit Stop back then as the fun was well worth the

hours ride for me. That's when I first met riders from Louisiana. Louisiana riders know how to party and if you ride, you are not a stranger to any of them. As the years passed Bikenites started catching on closer to home but just weren't the same as riding into a parking lot of 500 bikes so I still made the trip as often as I

could. I remember back in the 90's seeing aerial photos of the parking lot on Wednsday and the tremendous crowds. Now all these years later

the riders still come. What's the draw? Well, of course the ride but the Pit Stop has an outdoor

food vendor with a good menu, outside bar with $1.75 beer, constant prizes and giveaways, music and several vendors to browse (of course Jandy's is always there). The bartenders are are always on the spot with a cold one. There are tables outside to sit and eat. Most riders hang outside to check out the bikes rolling in but if you get overheated you can always go inside. I'll tell ya there is nothing wrong with their a/c.

There were plenty of nice bikes of all kinds to see. I noticed several folks parking vehicles next door and walking in. The huge parking lot is reserved for bikes on Bikenite. At first I thought these people had just come to admire the bikes. But they moved quickly to the grill. I guess they figure, why go to a fast food for an assembly line burger when you can get fresh grilled and a beer just as cheap at the Pit Stop. And then best of all for these folks, they get to hang out with people who ride motorcycles.

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61 Blues Hwy

8/25/10 I was headed back to the Bay from the Pit Stop when I stumbled up on this place. There were

plenty of bikes around so I knew I was welcome. How bout that, in the old days you were a little leery about stopping at a place with motorcycles out front, but today that's as good as throwing up a billboard saying everyone welcome. I walked in not knowing a sole but by the greetings you would think it was a regular

hangout for me. It was around 10pm and the band was moaning out some blues. This band

was not what I would expect out of a bunch of white boys but they were everything you would expect from a great New Orleans blues band. This bar is located on Hwy 61 in New Orleans right by the New Orleans Harley Davidson dealer (by the way, N.O. Harley Davidson will be hosting the Voodoo Blues Challenge on Sept. 25th). See my calendar of events for info.I just love unexpectively stumbling up on places that are fun. This place was great and I would love to have stayed. But it was late and I have responsibilities......Did I really say that?... Okay those that know me, you can quit laughing now.

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POKER RUN FOR LEAH

8/22/10 Leah Wagner was out walking in search of a job when she was struck by an automobile and left unconscious. It was a hit and run so she is left with the hospital bills. While she lay there unconscious someone also stole her purse. The accident left her with a badly shattered leg which will take correction down the road. On Sunday riders came together

to help with medical bills. The riders met at Grog's at 16820 Kapalama in the back of Diamondhead. Leah was there that morning

to help and stayed for the duration no matter how uncomfortable she became with the the brace and stainless spikes thru her leg. There wasn't a time I didn't see her smiling with appreciation. The riders all had a good

time just knowing they could help a little. The money may not go far on the bills but the thoughtfullness will never be forgotten. The ride was made from Grog's to SawDoff's to the Knock Knock to G.C.'s and back to Grog's
for the "Chicken Drop". This took a while since no one bothered to explain to the chickens

exactly what their job was. But, it seemed by all the cheering and hollering that the "wait" is the most fun part during a chicken drop. There was plenty of food, beverages and entertainment at Grog's but I had to leave early due to the fact that I hadn't played in the rain all day.

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ARMED FORCES BENEFIT

8/21/10 I arrived well after dark so I missed most of the

of the activities and info on what the benefit was for. As I have said before I refuse to say I was lost. I just took the scenic route. It's all about the ride and scenery, right? Even if it was dark. All I know is that this benefit was to raise money to give a kid a second chance on life. I don't know if it was boy or girl. Doesn't really matter does it? I was told the Armed Forces across America had joined in this benefit for, I think they said two lungs, to give a kid a second chance. Sounds like a really serious one. There seem to

to be more and more clubs doing benefits these days to help make our country a better place. The Armed Forces Motorcycle Club opened their clubhouse doors and put in a lot of work to make this benefit a success. There was still plenty of food, beverages and even the band still playing when I got there. I take it by the sign on

the wall, they are opening their clubhouse doors to the public on Sat. night. That's cool! If you've been a little leery of clubs because you've never been around them, you can stop in on Sat. night and feel safe while you see what they are really like. I have found that if you treat them with respect they will do the same.

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B.A.C.A BENEFIT

8/21/10 The La. chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse held a benefit at Bad Bob's Saloon to raise money to help in their campaign to stop child

abuse. The mission of this group is to create a safe environment for children to live in. To read

more about their mission and how they operate you can go to their website at bacausa.com. A child's living environment will effect them both mentally and physically for the rest of their lives. My understanding is that BACA goes through all legal means to create a safe living environment for children and create a barrier between the children and danger if needed. A person should not feel threatened for reporting child abuse. BACA has the education and experience to protect you and some of these guys are just pretty darn big. Just sayin. I'd feel pretty safe with this group behind me.

With a small donation at the door you could enjoy a feast of all you could eat BBQ, vendors,

bikini bike wash, Jager girls and several really good karayoke singers. And don't let me forget the friendly staff at Bad Bob's Saloon. Sorry I'm still having camera malfunctions with indoor pictures. Seems like the more I spend the more problems I get with cameras. Maybe I should read the instructions? Nahh! That would be like stopping to ask directions. A real man just doesn't do that. I did try to enhance the pics

with my computer program but that didn't help much. Back to the party. As I was enjoying the air conditioning and scenery with the hot bartenders and ladies walking around, the door swung open and could it get any better? Well hell yes! Was it the Swedish Bikini Team? no. How bout the Barbie twins? no. Better, it was the Jager girls. I'll let you judge for yourself. These

girls had plenty of personality too. They mingled with the crowd and had plenty t-shirts and goodies to give away. Well, I hated to leave all this but it's on to the next benefit.

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NATCHEZ TRACE

8/15/10 If you are in to history and like to see the sites, the Natchez Trace is a great ride. You can google the Natchez Trace and get all the history lesson you need. Briefly the Natchez Trace was an Indian trail that was taken over by traders from the Ohio Valley farmers who floated their goods down the Mississippi River to Natchez. They would sell their rafts so the timbers could be used for building and because they could not float them back up the river. They would buy horses and return on the quickest route which was the Natchez Trace. There is a lot of history with Inns being built on the Trace and thieves luring in the forest to rob the travelers. The Trace was used also in the Civil War. The Trace stretches 444 miles from Natchez, Ms., thru the corner of Alabama where the "Trail of Tears" motorcycle ride ends and on up to Nashville, Tenn.
I have ridin several parts of the Trace but never the whole length. I would suggest studying the history, getting a map with sites marked and taking a few days so you can make the desired stops. I hear the Fall is a great time to ride with the leaves changing and the weather being a little cooler. I thought the scenery was great with the dark green leaves and grass. I guess they have had plenty of rain for everything to be that green. The speed limit is only 50 mph so if you are going for an exciting ride you may need to re think this one. There are no sharp curves to lean into. The 50 mph makes a nice ride to enjoy the scenery but with 444 miles you may get a little bored unless you stop to check out the sites. There are also plenty of wild animals

so that is another reason to watch your speed. In the above picture there are 3 turkeys down by the trees. There was a flock of about 15 but when I stopped they retreated into the woods thanks to Vance and Hines. In the 55 miles that I was on the Trace, I also saw a total for 5 deer, who also eased off before I could get my camera ready. I got on the Trace in Clinton, Ms. to ride to Ratliff's Ferry. I made my first stop at the ranger station in Ridgeland, Ms. They have maps and a few souvenirs for sale. Maps are free. Then it was on to the next stop at the

the Ross Barnett Reservoir. I don't know if it was the hot weather or the threat of rain but there was not the usual amount of boats for a Sunday.

Next stop was the Cypress Swamp. There is a walking trail that leads out into the swamp.

This would make an ideal spot for a horror movie. The trees and cypress knots are just like in a movie only thing missing was the snakes and gators. I didn't walk the whole trail because of the heat. I opted for a little more wind.

The next stop was River Bend where the river

almost makes a u-turn. Usually on the weekends the river which by the way is the Pearl River, is full of boats, water skiing and jet skis. This river is fairly wide and lined on both sides with forests and lily pads. Now for my

destination, Ratliffs Ferry. There is a boat launch, campground, store and a bar here in the middle of nowhere. With the nice boat ramp and plenty of pavement to park on this has always been a hot spot on the weekends. In the last ten years, motorcyclists have made it a regular stop on the weekends. The air conditioning, cold beer and cheese burger were just what I needed. The scenery wasn't bad either since boats pull in to refuel and rebeer. They also stop in the bar for a little air conditioning. And, I just love bikini pool. The Trace is loaded with sites for the entire 444 miles with picnic areas, historic areas with signs and plaques, Indian mounds, trails, water falls, creeks and springs. That's why I say to take a few days if you want to make the whole trip.

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CONFERERADOS RA

POKER RUN

8/7/10 This year for the poker run to benefit Hope Haven at the Long Beach Fest, the Confederados RA took on the task. They

executed a very organized run that I'll say was the most fun I've been on this year. The ones

that got there early were able to make a quick pass thru the festival. I hate that I missed that. They always have some great military displays as well as crafts and entertainment. The day was miserably hot but that made it nice to walk into the air conditioned stops. With the heat and the fact I was running late and did not have time for breakfast, I was running on empty. Just in time we made the stop at C&R's to be greeted by a big pot of red beans and rice along with some other goodies. The beans were cooked in with ham and there was good size pieces of sausage instead of chips. That's my kind of red beans. Really hit the spot. I love it when the stops do a little something to show appreciation to the riders for their benefit rides.Thanks C&R's. Those red beans were better than ... Nahh. But they were really good. Then it was on

to the Broke Spoke and Froggy Bears where we

ran into the poker run for Tabby Kat's. It was a good time seeing all the riders from all over south Ms. and La. It's hard to meet a stranger on a ride like this. The love for riding that

that everyone shares makes it real easy to start a conversation with anyone there. From Froggy Bears to the Shed and back down to Alibi's was a nice ride thru the country. And no I wasn't lost I just took the scenic route. Hell, I know exactly where I am at all times. I'm in the United States of America! Back at Alibi's there was plenty of food and entertainment. There were also all kinds of items up for raffle. Again to the Confederados RA great job on organizing. I was especially moved with the playing of Dixie and the Confederados removed their hats and placed them over their heart. Then as Glory Halu Whatever was played everyone replaced their hats and went about their business. Everyone here respects their country but Glory Whatever is not the Star Spangled Banner. Far as I'm concerned there are only two types of bikers. There are Southern bikers and there are bikers who can't help where they were born. Hope you all can take a joke cause that's what we like to do in Dixie. And if you don't love Dixie than you can.......well you know. During the entertainment we had a special guest appearance by Joe the Jam singing the

1965 hit Wolly Bully in a way that would make Sam the Sham jealous. When it came time for the winning hand on the run there was one little error that caused a little discussion on the top two hands. MasterRebel and Electrikman as friends call them on BON decided to chose weapons and settle it like real bikers. It was almost dusk, the streets were empty. A crowd had drawn to watch from far across their tables. There was a silence in the Alibi. Their choice of weapon was their heart so they split the money and donated back to Hope Haven like a real biker does. Also when the 50/50 drawing was held I didn't catch the winner's name but you guessed it he donated the money back. There were at least 30 other nice prizes that were raffled for Hope Haven. I'm not sure exactly how much was raised. I know over a thousand and have heard around seventeen hundred but don't quote me on that. All in all it was a great ride (except the heat) and a big success. Thanks to the Confederados, all the bars involved and especially all the riders.

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BIKENITE AT THE PIT STOP

8/4/10 What a great night for a bikenite! When I got to the Pit Stop it had already rained. I missed all the rain all the way from Ms. Now I'm wondering where the crowd is.

Still about 50 bikes showed up, but the last time I was there, there must have been 400 bikes. I've been told that I have never even seen a big bikenite there. Come on where is everyone at. I didn't catch a drop of rain all the way from Ms. and the cloud cover dropped the temps enough for a nice ride over. Bunch of wimps (I'll explain in a minute what a wimp is). There was still enough people for a good time. Nice cold $1.75 longnecks. The prize give aways were going on as usual. The Monster Girls were there giving

everyone ice cold energy drinks. Did I drink mine. Well hell no, not yet. While watching these girls work the crowd I was scared if I drank mine right then, it may give me the energy to do things I can't do anymore. Does that make sense? Well look across the parking lot, it's

Jan and Andy. Why am I not surprised? I see Jandy's Imports just about everywhere I go these days. Rain or shine they are there. They will also be at the Sturgis South Rally in Ms. Aug. 19 - 22. Be sure to stop by and tell them hello. They will be in an air conditioned building. Also our friends with Abate were here at bikenite

always spreading the info on new laws and how we can change the unfair laws (such as why we pay a recreational tax on tags for bikes in Ms. A tax on tags was originally for road maintenance right? Oh don't get me started). Anyway, support your state ABATE, they are the ones who fight for our rights. Well I could feel more rain coming on so I stepped inside for a cool one. As it

started to sprinkle and I watched bikes leave to beat the rain, I had a brain storm. I'll tell you what a wimp is, just bare with me. I decided to ride over to the Kamp and see if anyone was there. As I took the scenic route (in other words I was freakin lost) the wind picked up pretty good. Maybe I can find the Kamp before it rains. No now I have instant hard rain. But for once I have a rain suit. Ever try to put on a rain suit in a storm? Now I got it on but I my clothes are already wet. Why don't the weather man tell you that a 30% chance of rain means you have 30% chance of getting 100% wet. Well actually on a hot night being wet, it felt good inside the rain suit. So I finally found the Kamp, either everyone left or no one came. There were about a dozen bikes there. I went in to wait out the rain. No such luck. I was informed that a storm was comin. No #@%! As I left I found out what they meant by a storm. We now have lightning. Did I mention I don't like lightning. I'm getting closer to telling you what a wimp is. As I hit the interstate, that last bolt of lightning felt like it knocked my tail light out not to mention the smell of burning rubber from my rain suit. Or maybe that wasn't what the smell was. Anyway as I watched the most amazing bolts of lightning spreading across the sky over New Orleans it occurred to me what a beautiful picture it would make. You guessed it, dumb can get dumber. So I pulled over on the bridge before the high rise. The lane was wide enough for a car except I didn't realize it narrowed down to nothing. I couldn't get back in traffic so I was pinned into the guard rail by 18 wheelers going by at 110mph or so it seemed. Then to top it off the camera hesitates when you push the button. So no lightening over the city pics. I didn't try but 3 pics cause I got the feeling one of these truckers would eventually get on his radio and say "see this biker standing on the guardrail well watch this!" When I finally got back in traffic, the vibration of my bike was so bad it rattled my teeth. Must have lost some weights off the wheels.This morning I couldn't find a thing wrong with the bike. Just can't figure out what caused all that shakin last night. The rest of the trip was uneventful. I was finally ahead of the storm. I hit the nice smooth asphalt at Chalmette and the smell of the coffee factory. Sure is funny how when the weather gets better, everyone drives better. No more slamming on brakes, no more pulling over on you. Since I've had time to reminisce all the events last night, I'll tell you what a wimp is. A wimp is someone who is SMART ENOUGH to stay out of the rain.

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BIKENITE AT THE KAMP

7/28/10 This was my first Bikenite at the Kamp. I guess I got there a little early (around 5:30pm) as there wasn't a bike in the parking lot. There was about a dozen people in the building. But shortly after I sat down at the bar, the fun began. The tables behind quickly filled up with guess what? Ladies night out!

And guess what else? I have a camera! Oh yea, I'm in there like swimwear. Great concept, ladies night out at Bikenite. Just as I thought it couldn't get any better, the band started. The house

began to rock. Me being from Mississippi, I'll have to say one thing. These people in Louisiana know how to party. The bar is not real big but everyone squeezed in and even found

room to dance. After being there about 3 beers, I decided to check the parking lot to see if any bikes showed up. Wow this can't be the same parking lot I just walked thru. Okay it is, it just

got a little cluttered with bikes. Outside, there was a bar set up with $2 beer, a BBQ stand, a couple of vendors with bike apparel and the folks from MAC. By dark there was a big crowd

with around 300 bikes in the parking lot. Everyone was telling me this was a slow bikenite for the Kamp. I can't imagine where else they could put a lot more bikes. As I

walked around, I ran into several old friends and we caught up on the latest events. I always have a good time in Louisiana. I walked back in to hear some more of the band and get some air conditioning. Okay for those that know me, I was really checking up on the ladies night out. It was

still in full swing with a lot of dancing going on. With all this action going on my body fluids needed a little replenishing and the bartenders

were right on time. They took care of us well all night. And speaking of night OMG it was almost midnight. Hated to but I had to break away and get back to reality.

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ALEXIS BROWN POKER RUN

7/24/10 Odom's Automotive along with M&F's Cycles put on another great poker run to benefit 3 yr. old Alexis Brown who is suffering from a brain tumor. With a morning storm the registration was light with around 28 bikes.

Thanks to Mitch, Frank, Marcus and Clyde's, Third Base, Broke Spoke and a special thanks to SawdOff's for hosting the final part. SawdOff's had free Hamburgers for all riders. I'm not talking about about a Krystal burger or a cheap piece of meat throw on the grill. They had the delicious full meal from their menu dressed. with fries. Must have been a half pound of burger. As I have always said "Support those that support us". Thanks also to all the real riders who showed up for this great cause.

With the poker run, raffles and auction, around $2300 was raised for this cause. This is a very small dent in the medical bills but the father was there to give a special thanks from the heart. It's really hard to imagine what the parents have to go through. When the ride started the rain had gone and the day was great through out the ride.

Another treat along the way was free pizza at the Third Base. I just love it when the bars add a little something on their own. The ride was short but left time to relax at the stops and meet new people.

Denise had the winning hand and also won a couple of raffles. I was told she donated all back except the shotgun that she made a special deal with a very young man. This young man had bought tickets and dreamed of the shotgun all day. She sold him the shotgun for less than a penny on the dollar giving him his dream as well as teaching him that nothing in life is free. I love it. The boy is working off the payment at his grandfather's shop. By the way his grandfather in none other than Frank at M&F's Cycles.

Denise gave from the heart that day and let it show when she gave a little speech for young Alexis at the end. Later on she said with her luck that day she was going to the casino. I hope her luck held but if not I truly believe that those who give from the heart are rewarded.

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BIKENITE AT CJ'S TOO

7/23/10 This is Friday night so no need to rush to get there. Bikenite starts at 8pm however, if you like you can get ther a couple hours early like me and enjoy some suds, bs and the cold air conditioning.

It was a cloudy day in Gautier and the threats of rain were apparent into the night. But guess what the die hards that braved the threats were rewarded with $1.75 beer, po-boys and entertainment by Stuart Douglas.

Riders come in to this bikenite from all over the Ms. coast and from Alabama where their moto is "We don't need no stinkin umbrella!". Treats of rain and the ride home doesn't seem to bother these die hards. I didn't really know but a couple people when I came in but got to meet just about everyone there. People who know me, know that I'm not the real forward type to just get around and meet everyone. Not trying to be unfriendly or stuck up, that's just my nature. But, here everyone makes you welcome and part of the scene. Stuart Douglas put on a helluvah show with his Outlaw music. I am partial to Old Country Outlaw music and John Prine is one of my personal favorites. Stuart knows all John Prines music and even changes a few lines for your entertainment.

From Bay St Louis to Gautier on hwy 90 is a great scenic ride especially at night with all the beach, casinos and lights. Since most people are off on Saturday, this is a good bikenite to hit.

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SILVER SLIPPER BIKENITE

7/22/10 Very nice weather and great bikenite. It just gets better with around 200 bikes and over 40 classic cars.

As people arrived the topic of conversation was the incoming tropical storm Bonnie and the oil it would push into our area. But this is what's so great about bikenite, conversation quickly turned to the bikes, classic cars and what is going on inside the casino.

Added to the beautiful bikes and cars were some gorgeous ladies. I can't figure out if Phatt Tony was showing off his bike or the ladies. Ladies walking around checking out the bikes and cars and yet another visit from the Bud Girls.

Bayou 95.7 was there with their usual trivia giveaways and live remote.

Usually they have trivia questions on bikes, cars or movies and songs concerning bikes and cars. This time they added a prize for the first 3 guys to bring forward a picture of a naked lady in his wallet. Only one stepped forward, but when they opened it up to pictures on a cell phone, there was a stampede. Guess I've been using my phone for the wrong thing. Jandy's was also there with their "all-in-one" stop for bike apparel, jewelry, helmets, gloves, stickers, t-shirts, etc....

There was plenty of $2 longnecks downstairs, then finally it's upstairs for the slot tournament (free to riders), the buffet (featuring crab legs) and the band. The Butch Fields band was great. I've heard them at Sandy Hook before.
They have a great lineup of non stop rock n roll. My only complaint is that there is just too much to do and too much fun in one night here.

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SON'S HONOR RIDE

6/6/10 On June 6, 2010. I left Biloxi, Ms. enroute on a ride to fulfill an agreement to my son, Jason Mitchell Cuttill. He went by Jay to his friends and brothers: however, I labeled him Mitch since birth and to me that is where it stayed. Mitch had been in the Navy for 7 years (1999-2006) as an aviation electrician (AE) on F-16s at Lemoore Naval Station in Lemoore, California, when he attempted to cross into the Navy Seals; however, during training in Florida, his left arm had gotten injured and he was returned to his AE classification and relocated to Oceana Naval Station, Oceana, Va. in Nov. 2006. He underwent several arm surgeries in an effort to repair his left arm; however one arm surgery seemed less adequate than the other and he was still undergoing treatment when I arrived in Virginia after I retired early 2009. My wife Roxanne, is active Navy and was stationed at Norfolk Naval Station, Norfolk, Virginia; thus the three of us came together after many years being separated and dealing with their naval careers and my Government career. Of course, being a biker for many years, I rode my Heritage Softail out to Virginia and was actively partaking in biker events and rallies. Mitch would follow me in his Avalanche as he joined in with the events and I could tell he was enjoying the lifestyle of a biker.Within a few weeks of being in Virginia, Mitch had found a Dyna Wide Glide online and wanted me to check it out. I test rode it for him and ended up riding the bike to his apartment after he purchased it because he was too nervous and didn't want to drop it before getting it home (yeah, it was raining!). I was a very proud father seeing the excitement in my boy's eyes when he got on his bike for the first time. We rode for a bit locally getting him use to it and after he got his license I took him for rides down through the Outer Banks, North Carolina and up through the Blue Ridge Mountains - where he dumped his bike for the first time. The emotional bond between a father and his son out riding together is immense but you have to times that by 100 when you add in experiencing his first dump. The embarrassment, humiliation, and fear that he had to deal with having dad there, people watching him and afraid that he had damaged his new bike was very evident; yet, days later we could joke about together since we were both there. Just a few months later, my wife got orders to Mississippi for schooling and we had to separate from my son again. It was torture seeing my sons face when we told him. After being apart for so long and finally getting together and bonding not only as a father and son but as men enjoying the lifestyle of biker brotherhood made it all more painful. He joined Bikerornot.com so we could keep in touch via biker sites and be able to make new biker friends to ride with while I was gone. In September 2009 my son called and asked if I would stay with him during his next arm surgery the following month, October and of course, I did. I was with him during the surgery at a civilian doctor's medical facility and the following week until he got the stitches out and was beginning therapy. During this time he had discussed the medical proceedings the military was processing to discharge Mitch and how he was battling to get his arm repaired to continue his service; but he wasn't sure he was going to be able to prevail. Our conversations always returned to riding together again and hitting some biker events for the first year after he would get discharged. I told him about Bikerornot.com and the friends I had made on the site and suggested saving money on the trip, since he wouldn't have a job and be saving what he could, and camp where we could in their yards. We discussed taking our time across on a dad and son adventure, getting him use to being a civilian again and making some new biker friends. He had been around the world on an aircraft carrier; but as for the U.S.A. he had only been in the Midwest and both coasts - California and Virginia, with a little visit in Florida. So I was very excited at the thought of being able to take my son on his Harley across this country without rush and care. Neither of us would have anything to do but watch over one another and enjoy the ride! After I returned home in Mississippi just before Halloween my son called to inform me the military doctors were going to burn some nerves in his neck to provoke them to rebuild around a pinched area with hopes to prevent another surgery. This was within two weeks of his surgery at the civilian facility. A week later my son was found dead in his truck in the front parking area of a mall where he had gone to purchase the new Call of Duty game and get a copy of a promotional signed photograph of a MMA fighter at the GNC for his younger brothers who were fresh into the MMA arena. The autopsy and toxic report indicated that he had overdosed on prescription medications complicated with the onset of pneumonia. The combination of the medications prescribed by the two doctors - one civilian and one military, slowly shut his internal organs down. The Coroner said he would have just started feeling tired and when he laid his head on the steering wheel of the truck...he died. Mitch passed away on November 11, 2009 at 33 years of age. On June 6, 2010, I left home to fulfill the ride we spoke of, in honor of my son.
I took his funeral flag strapped to the top of my travel bag that was strapped down on the passenger seat as though he was there.

In Route to Virginia I stopped in North Carolina to meet the first BON friend, Pigpen, as we had
spoke of on doing the trip. I then rode to Oceana Naval Station, Oceana, Virginia as if I were picking him up. I took a picture with me holding his funeral flag at the Oceana front gate sign

then I proceeded to West Virginia to meet another BON friend, Jacci Blue. The next day I headed through the Appalachians on a rainy
fricking day and as I was winding through the mountain roads I saw an automobile accident and a car hit a deer both just seconds in front of me. I was wiping my glasses, praying to God, and talking with Mitch the whole way through. I knew Mitch hated riding in the rain and made jest that he had the best seat for the ride that day and that we were both covered in plastic! Rain continued from Northern West Virginia until the west side of West Virginia/Kentucky border. I headed across to Lexington, Kentucky to meet up with another BON friend, Roaddog; however, our communication wasn't successful and we did not connect up to meet up so I rode on to Frankfort to meet the next BON friend, Firehunter. I was taken to his home where I met his family and grilled steaks to eat. I proceeded to Illinois to pick up two of Mitch's brothers,
Jeremy and Nick. Jeremy was now the oldest son of the family and had inherited Mitch's Dyna. Nick had recently purchased a 1200 Sportster to make the ride. Neither boy had a motorcycle license at the time Mitch passed away; however, after hearing about me doing the honor ride both were adamant about riding along with me. Thereby, both boys did their training course and got their licenses on June 7, 2010 - just 4 days before I arrived to take them across country. I was proud to see these two had things packed and were looking forward to the ride; though, neither had any idea what laid ahead on this trip. Only the knowledge that it was in honor of Mitch and that his flag and spirit were accompanying us kept the fear of what could happen at bay. Our trip was nice weather until we hit mid Nebraska and all hell broke loose. The rain and wind were so bad we pulled

over in North Platte and as soon as we unloaded our bikes and were in our rooms the tornado sirens were going off. A tornado had hit just 5 miles up the road from us and another 8 miles away in Hershey, Nebraska. If we had continued we would have been in the midst of it all! The next day it was still raining so we hit the Harley dealer and purchased some face shields and, of course like any good biker, some T-Shirts. Originally we planned to hit Medicine Bow, Wyoming and drop down through beautiful Colorado and meet up with another BON friend, Guy; however, due to the weather we disregarded Wyoming and cut down into Colorado to meet Guy in Denver. After eating dinner, Guy led us up through the passes in Denver - it was cold, wet and we hit snow! We
had to pull off and hit a sports store and purchase some winter clothing - it was obvious that Colorado did not get the memo that it was Summertime! When we stopped to get gas we also hit the fast food store to obtain their to go bags so we could put on dry socks and wrap our

feet in the bags before putting on the rain soaked boots. Bad weather, darkness added with the facts we were soaked and cold so we called it early still in the Rocky Mountains and spent the night in Eagle Colorado. The following day, more of the same weather only this day also brought bike problems. I was the lead bike and noticed the boys dropping back more and more so I pulled over to see what the problem was. Low and behold, Jeremy pulls up only using his back brake because the front brake bracket was swinging by the cable down from the handlebars. It appeared that both bolts had loosened out and the bracket unable to hold on its on broke off. As the rain continued and the temperature barely breaking 40 degrees I got my tool bag and wire tied the bracket up. We pampered the bikes down the road further until we came up on a Flying J truck stop. I purchased a small bolt package along with a trucker mirror mount bracket kit and used parts to bolt the bracket back securely onto the bike. After obtaining fresh to go bags and changing into fresh socks we were on the road again. We
settled in for the night in Las Vegas - yeah, it was intentional! We made it to Lemoore Naval Station the next day. We took photos on our arrival at the front gate sign along with Mitch's funeral flag. Yes we had made it! It was a very emotional time for me because I had taken Mitch from Virginia to California and visited several BON friends as we had discussed to do together! The boys and I said prayers and shared tears as emotions flowed readily.

The cross country trip was completed and now I had to focus on getting my boys back home to Illinois safely. We took the southern route via Arizonia, Oklahoma and Texas then ventured through Missouri into Illinois. We made it home safe and sound. The trip gave me such a solemn feeling within that I am sure my son, Mitch, was at peace and had partaken in this event as if his mortal body had sat upon this bike just as we had planned it.

Reb

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. BAMAFEST

7/8/10 This is one big adult party. All kinds of party animals here. Even the neighbors were peeking in. I wasn't going to argue. Looked like he had balls enough to come in if he wanted to. But luckily he seemed content just watching all the of us animals. The weather was hot and some decided to undress appropiately for the weather. Or maybe with all the dust just didn't want to wash clothes when they got home. What ever the case there was more skin than you would see in a whole career of dermatology. But I'm
still convinced I came to a bike rally. What other reason would they have for building a super slab leading straight into the woods. I am told there
may be some bike races in the future. Someone must have come early for the races. Don't they
usually tow racebikes. I'm confused, maybe this qualifies as a classic car. But actually there were a lot of bikes and even die hards who rode in and tent camped in the heat. Me, I had my trusty camper with air conditioning. There was plenty of night entertainment with contests and bands.
Most people made their way thru the campground by walking or golf carts to check
out the parties going on at different sites. There
was the ever popular pole dancing in at least a half dozen sites. There was karyoke or seemed like scaryoke and line dancing. And giveaways like beads, shots, thongs, sunglasses etc. just for a glimpse of.... well I'll put it this way, you would have thought these guys were a bunch of hungry 2 month olds. During the day there were bike games, vendors and plenty of cookouts and

socializing among friends. You really meet some good folks at this rally. Oh! and don't let me forget there are plenty of pretty ladies at thisrally. Everywhere you turned pretty ladies. I now suffer from whiplash. I even found Ms. Right, only Mr. Right wouldn't let me have her. This is one of my favorite rallies. For the price, you can't beat it.

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CRAB FEST BAY ST. LOUIS

7/2/10 Looks like it is time to expand the Crab Fest. The crowd was huge. People came in from all over Ms. and a lot of out of stater's. All in all it just gets better.

The boiled crabs were naturally the hit of the event's food. However there were plenty of other crab meat dishes that I couldn't even begin to name. Here in one place was all the greatest seafood dishes on the Gulf Coast. The lines were a little long but seemed to move pretty fast.

Vendors were attracted in from all over the country with every thing from jewelry, furniture, banners, t-shirts, driftwood mirrors to Indian....I'll say flutes cause I don't really know...with beautiful music.

There was also a carnival that the adults as well as the kids could enjoy

The bands were all free with some good names such as the Chee Weez and Bag O Donuts. Whole lotta shakin goin on. And also the ever popular line dancing.

People came from all over the country to enjoy the festival and the crabs.

Oh, and don't let me forget the Bay Downs crab races. People were able to place their bets and coax the crabs to the finish lines for prizes.

People from the Bay love this one and all the proceeds go to charity. After hours of the festival, C&R's and the Knock Knock picked up the late nighters with their 4th of July parties. The Knock Knock had a band with no cover and their late night kitchen. C&R's had a band with no cover and drink specials.

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STONEY DOSSETT POKER RUN

6/26/10 Stoney Dossett was working his way thru nursing school when his life was tragically taken in an auto accident. In remembrance his family decided to help another young man thru nursing school by setting up a scholarship fund. M&F cycles stepped up to set up a benefit poker run.
It was a nice day and about 35 bikes showed up for the run. Prizes were donated by Shaggie's, Kiln Wine and Spirits, Odoms Automotive, Daryls Towing, Pete Clark, Color Wheel Embroidery, and as always M&F's Cycle Apparel. Thanks to these donations over $1200 was raised for the benefit. And as always the donations and time from bikers make the benefit possible. As usual, the money won by a biker was donated back to the benefit. As the economy gets worse and worse it is a hard thing to have money in your hand and give it back but bikers seem to just have a little bigger heart than most people.

Sorry for the lack of pictures as I am having serious malfunctions with both my cameras right now.

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BROKE SPOKE 25 YR. ANNIVERSARY

6/19/10 On Saturday the Broke Spoke celebrated 25 years in business. I was delayed because of the rain or should I say lightning. I finally decided to cage it on up to the Kiln. I must have passed 30 bikes headed away from the Spoke. I guess they saw a break in the rain and decided to shelter their bikes. There were still a dozen or so bikes at the Spoke and a parking lot full of cages. Due to unscheduled events I was only able to stay about 30 minutes. For those that have never been to a Broke Spoke party, you are missing what good southern hospitality is all about. This bar has a regular low price of $2 on beer and sponsors a lot of benefits. There anniversary party always has a ton of food and a band, all free. The award winning Broke Spoke cooking team had chicken on the grill when my unfortunate circumstance came about. I'm sure they had the usual baked beans, bean salad, potato salad, swamp rice etc. And don't make the mistake of calling it dirty rice. Dirty rice may look a little similar but I assure you it is nothing like swamp rice. Swamp rice will make a coonass slap his mama. But she slap back cause she dar yea. Sorry, that was my best redneck attempt to explain swamp rice. Well even though I didn't get to eat, there is always next year. "Always next year", where did I hear that before...I believe... yea that's it Saints football at the Broke Spoke. Big football parties at the Spoke with food. Yea that's it. But Saints fans have to be careful cause there are just as many Favrepackerjetviks on football Sundays. Last year I got to see the Saints, Packers and Vikings all play and win at the same time. All were on tv inside the Spoke. Never any trouble with the mixture but a lot of taunting and we got to dish it out last year. When you're out on a weekend ride in southern Ms, the Broke Spoke is a must see.

CONGRATULATIONS STEVE AND MABLE for 25 years service to our community

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BIKENITE AT THE SILVER SLIPPER

6/17/10 Even with the threat of rain, there was still a good little crowd at the Slipper. Around 70 bikes and at least a dozen classic cars. That is somewhat down from the 100+ bikes and 60 classic cars I have seen. But I can't blame people for not wanting to spend the whole next day cleaning their pride and joy.

The show went on with the best bike and best classic car trophies, the radio station doing trivia giveaways and a visit from the Bud Girls.

I have only missed one Bikenite at the Slipper this year and it still amazes me to see at least a couple of bikes and cars that I've never seen before. Like this silver corvette with an absolutely awesome hood ornament.

Meanwhile upstairs with our stamp we get to play free in the slot tournament with $1500 in prizes. Last week a rider from Covington told me he didn't mind the ride over to win his $500. They give away 30 places so I have even won twice myself. I played quickly and ran back downstairs to make sure the Bud Gir...I mean bikes were alright. The bikes were still posing for pictures so I hung out a while. With the bud show wrapping up and the girls leaving I headed back upstairs to hear Group Therapy play. You may have heard of them from the Slidell area. I love this band. If you haven't heard them, they will be there the next two nights. Oh did I mention the Bud Girls showed up for this event.

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YOUR MAMA'Z HOUSE GRAND OPENING

6/12/10 It's on the Tchoutacabouffa River. Can you say that? Well hell no Mr Rogers, I can't even spell it. They tell me it is pronounced the way it is spelled. Well that's my problem, I can't spell it either. All I know is that it is a nice river for boating and a really cool bar.

You can sit in the shade underneath or go upstairs to the air conditioning. Either way there is plenty of scenery on the river.The upstairs has big glass sliding doors with a great view of the river.

There is a full bar downstairs with plenty of nutritious, delicious beverages for cooling off after a long ride.

And speaking of ride, if you get off I-10 at Cedar Lake and go North a mile or so thru some nice curves you will run right into the place as soon as you see the river bridge. When you leave, if you continue North you can follow some nice scenic roads thru Woolmarket and along the Biloxi River. Really nice riding. For the grand opening, Your Mama'z House provided $2 longnecks, free hamburgers and hotdogs, Rich Geddes and Mystery Band (really good band) and plenty of giveaway t-shirts, hats and coozies.
I was offered a marker to put some graffitti on the wall, but sometimes it's just more fun to watch others who can really draw.
Most of the boat people that came in also ride bikes so everyone seemed to know each other. I am a little partial to the river bars, so this is my kind of place. Just go for a weekend ride, stop in for a cold one and enjoy the scenery.
I did get a word of warning, if you look too hard at beautiful scenery you eyes may get stuck in one place.

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BON Meet and Greet . 6/4/10 - 6-6-10

The BON party was off to a slow start with the threat of thunder storms. C & R's had a large crowd but only 13 brave souls on bikes weathered what turned out to be a beautiful night for the scenic ride over the Bay bridge. There was a short photo opt and then it was back to the meet and greet for free jambalaya and the Marty Ladner band. We had only 10 bikes for the first night but one couple came all the way from Hattisburg and another couple came in from Covington, La. One lady (Kitty) rode in by herself from Gulfport. I guess our locals were at home looking out the window. It couldn't have been much more beautiful of a night for a scenic ride.

Scenic ride.

Sunset over the Bay behind Rick and Pat

Sun is almost gone behind the Bay bridge

Happy Birthday Connie from the rally bunch

Saturday brought still another threat of nasty weather. Still the party went on as scheduled with about 25 bikes showing. Again, several from Louisianna.These were some die hard riders knowing the weather was coming from the west and even if they made it over dry, they would more than likely hit a storm on the way home. Actually we only got a light shower around 5pm. We started out breakfast at C&R's with Ricks Universally famous biscuits and laullihue gravey. We got a little late start on the poker run. People partied too late the night before, imagine that. But the weather was great for the whole poker run.

This was the most relaxing poker run I've ever been on. With only 3 stops and they were all local we had 4 hours to make them all. We had plenty of time to get to know one another. We spent some time at every stop just relaxing and enjoying the air conditioning. Gabbie's, the Third Base and the Knock Knock all participated in the run. As I have said before, remember these places, they are all biker friendly and they are the ones that support us. At the Third Base, there were trays of really great Subway sandwiches. These were donated by the Subway in Bay St. Louis on Hwy 90 at Dunbar. When they were told how many was needed and what it was for they decided to double the order since it was bikers and a good cause. Remember that! I hope to see some bikes parked in front of the Subway at lunchtime. Support those that support us! When we got back to C&R's more bikes had showed up and everyone was ready for fun and games. The pie eating contest was a little different. It was face first in the pie to see who could find the cherries first without using hands. Sorry Tony, I know you practiced for a month to see how many pies you could eat.
The tatoo contest was next with some really awesome tatoos.

Then there was the plungeher contest and you guessed it, no hands allowed.
This was a BikerOrNot party and plenty of nots showed up out of curiosity. The nots said we were having way too much fun. I believe a harley salesman could have set up his retirement fund with sales that night. All the nots were saying they were going next week to look at harleys. I guess alcohol really talks. Marty Ladners band cranked up and the fun was just getting started.



I missed the Bloody Mary morning at C&R's for the farewell party. I had to have a day of recovery. Out of this party, I met some good people to ride with down the road. Also Third Base is planning a Bikenite on Fridays and C&R's says they want to have a BON Meet and Greet once a month. I guess we really had too much fun.

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GULFPORT MEMORIAL DAY BLOWOUT

5/28/10 This year at the GULFPORT MEMORIAL DAY BLOWOUT attendance was up and gate fees down! The occasional rain shower that is part of our weather this time of year didn't seem to bother anyone. People came from all around the country.






There was bikes of every kind in the races and bike show, although the top fuelers couldn't run due to excessive moisture on the track. The were still fun to look at and hair raising to hear during warm up's. The weenie biting, bikini, tattoo and wet "T" shirt contest were well attended and enjoyed by all. Nightly entertainment by BLACKBIRD CEMETERY, THE GRS EXPERIENCE and STUART LEE DOUGLAS provided a vast array of rock, blues, southern rock, classic rock, metal, experimental, country and indie music. Talk about something for everyone!



Of course, the MEMORIAL DAY CMA morning service followed by the Flag Raising Ceremony was is a major part of this event and was well attended.

The vendors (of which there were many) stayed busy and appeared to be pleased that they attended. You could find anything a biker could possible want are imagine. It was biker heaven.

It looks as though this event will only be bigger and better next year!!!!!!

Thanks Linda and Rick for the pictures and story.

One final note. This event brings a lot of much needed out of state money into the economy on the Gulf Coast. I think the Asgards should get a community service award. I sure hope officials from the city and county get the picture some day.

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SANDY HOOK MEMORIAL DAY BIKER PARTY

5/28/10 People came in droves for over a week for this rally. This rally has turned into one huge party with motorcycles being the excuse to throw it. There are about as many golf carts as there are motorcycles. Many campsites have their own parties with pole dancing, pools, massage tables, and all kinds of crazy games to lure people in. Golf carts have become the transportation from one party to the next.

With the mass of campers squeezed into three large fields, it would be impossible to walk and see everything.

Some diehards still use their motorcycles to get around and even camp in tents. I guess we see who the real bikers are. Some even bring home built contraptions you never see anywhere else. A chainsaw driven tricycle preformed wheelies thru the campground all weekend. There were pools in the back of pickups, utv's pulling sleds and anything a person could think of for entertainment.

There was a continuous parade of entertainment thru the campground. Many just sat back at their campsite and watched the parade go by.

There were all the regular bike games during the day. With various other entertainment games such as the water slide. Contestants seem to think that skin is slicker than cloth and you travel further. They have the (boob), I mean ball bounce. It's pretty amazing the abuse silicone can take. And the bubble pool. It seemed these ladies like to bathe alone cause they were throwing each other out of the pool. What a cat fight. The last one in was the only clean one after it was over. All except the scratches and bruises.

There were plenty of vendors, everything from parts to lights to clothing and apparel. Seems like the ladies are making men act a fool to get pictures of their latest sexy clothing. But it's all about a good time. There was also a poker run during the day and bands and contests at night. Four days flew by so quick, I didn't get to see it all. There was so much in so little time, I don't even remember some of the stuff in my camera. Couldn't have been the alcohol. I think someone else used my camera.

The bike show had some extremely nice bikes. With a special appearance of the National Guard bike for Memorial Day. A really awesome bike.
The CMA was there working hard at the gate, with two tents set up for free water and coffee and services on Sunday morning. Oh, and don't let me forget the famous burnout contest. I don't understand it but seems like that was what the crowd was waiting for. I got on the front row so my nostrils still burn.
Most people were already talking about the Sandy Hook Labor Day Party coming up September 3rd. I don't see how it could get any better. It will take me the full 3 months to recover from this one, but unless I don't recover I'll be there.

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FUGARWE TRIBE & SHRINE POKER RUN

5/22/10 It was a great poker run with around 80 bikes. It started at Southside and went to Rosies, Fugarwe Tribe clubhouse, Turtle landing and ended at Crazy Al's. Please don't ask me to pronounce Fugarwe, I'm a Ms. redneck. I have a flyer in front of me just to spell it right. But I will say one thing... They know how to throw a party! Because of prior commitments I only made it to the last stop. I wish I could have made the whole ride. I frequent all the bars but have never made it to the Fugarwe clubhouse. A little while after I got to Crazy Al's the crowd started rolling in. Everyone was ready to party. There was a big spread of food they were serving, a raffle with plenty of prizes and a band. Great job on the poker run for the shrine childrens hospital. If you have never been to Crazy Al's, you need to try it. They have a full bar, free crabs on Wednesday afternoon and a chicken drop on weekends with a band playing. The band "AKA" was playing for this event. I love their rock n roll music. For this event the Fugarwe Tribe advertised a day of fun and brotherhood. No one was disappointed.

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MIKE BRUNOS BREAST RIDE FOR CANCER

5/22/10 As I arrived at Northshore Harley Davidson, I noticed the tents were set up for the crowd and the band as well as the grill. With the amount of benefits and parties Bruno's has done this year, these are starting to look like a permanent fixtures in the parking lot. The crowd was starting to grow.

As I entered the showroom I noticed all the sales persons working, business as usual. In the back there were a large crowd of pink shirts in a meeting. I quickly registered and proceeded to the back for the meeting. They were explaining what the ride was about. Bringing awareness to breast cancer so people will be checked before it gets to bad to be cured. And yes I did say people not just women. It is not nearly as common in men as women but it happens. We can make all the jokes we want about boobs but how would you like to be the only man you know with breast cancer. Now, it's not a laughing matter. Never was a laughing matter. Millions die every year. I know, I'm a cancer survivor myself. A few testimonies were given by survivors who are still with us and riding in the ride to bring awareness and save others lives.

For a $20 dollar donation all were given the ride, a t-shirt, hamburgers and drinks and a band playing. You can't hardly beat that. So I put on my bright pink shirt and got on my cobalt blue motorcycle to go on the ride. That combination really clashes. I was looking at my reflection in the windows and thinking what a real fruitcake I looked like. But hey, getting noticed is the best way to bring awareness and it was a great cause. Though, I hope no one got my picture. I still laugh when I think of that bright blue and pink lollipop riding down the road. But, I proudly wore pink that day. As we left Northshore, I couldn't help but think of all the employees we left behind. Benefit rides are made fun to attract more people. The employees just get to watch but they all seemed to just enjoy all the people around. Bruno's has the friendliest bunch from the managers, sales, parts to the shop techs of any Harley shop I've been in.

The St. Tammany's Sheriff's motor patrol led the ride all the way around the parish. This is what I love, the ride and seeing roads and sights I've never seen. Being from this area, I had seen most of the roads but I'm satisfied seeing just one road I've never seen.

The weather was great, people waved as we passed and the sheriff's dept. did a great job with the escort. A really great ride. With all the daily problems.... the oil spill, work, not working, the government taxing us to death, forcing health care on us and trying to take our gun rights away.... DAMMIT.... how else can you relieve stress. Doing a benefit and making a ride, that's what life is about. All of a sudden all problems disappear. But they do come back so you need to at least do a ride or two every week.
The Motor Maids ladies riding club showed up in force for this event. There was a meeting for lady riders and ladies who want to ride before the event started. Sometime soon I will have a story on this group for all you ladies who want to ride your own but may not be able to just jump out on your own and do it. If you are intimidated by us men who know everything about riding, then talking to these ladies is a great way to start. These ladies ride all over the country. When we arrived back at Northshore a band started and everyone was served drinks and hamburgers. It had gotten hot outside but nothing was wrong with the air conditioning inside. I had to break away early for the next event.

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FIRE AND IRON BENEFIT POKER RUN

5/15/10 Rick "Sherpa" Brown is a firefighter in Pensacola, Fl. Around Jan. or Feb. of this year Rick, his wife and two children had their whole life turned around. Rick was involved in a motorcycle accident and suffered head injuries. I am told he has short term memory loss. Most of what he has learned in life will have to be re-learned and still may not be remembered. Rick had chosen a life as a firefighter, protecting others property and even saving lives. When a person makes the choice to become a firefighter, it becomes an obligation to put their life on the line for others every day. Mainly others that they don't even know. We should all be thankful for the brave people who chose this career. Sure they get paid, but most of them have to work second jobs to provide for a family.

When you drive by or visit a fire station you quickly notice a very clean building with a well manicured lawn. You may notice a few people well groomed in pressed uniforms who look like they sit in an office all day. This is all because of the pride they take in what they do. This can all change in a matter of minutes. That person that looks like they just stepped out of GQ magazine may be in a fire suit sweating, covered with smut, pulling severely burned victims or bodies from a fire. Some may even leave on a stretcher them self. No, it's not the pretty picture you see at the station. And then there is the part of mentally dealing with what you see on the job. People screaming for help while burning in buildings and you know you are the only one that can save them. Children screaming for help when there is no way to get to them. Auto crashes with mangled bodies. Handling the dead bodies and the clean up afterwards. Yea, I got a little graphic but you only have to read it, most of you don't see it on a daily basis. A fireman sees it daily, then mentally deals with it and goes on with their life.

Firemen aren't paid well enough for what they do and experience. That is why the Fire and Iron Club stepped in to organize this poker run. To help a brother in bad times even though he is 200 miles away. I was told Rick may never be able to resume his career.

A short prayer was said for Rick and his family. We all pray that he will be able to get his life back to normal. With enough prayer, miracles do exist. Next it was off for the poker run. I should really call it a ride because it is understood that whoever wins will donate the money back to the benefit.

We left the station in Hattiesburg with a full escort of law enforcement and firefighters. This was amazing to me because people on the roadside waved and saluted and drivers pulled off the road when we passed. I guess in this part of the state people have enough respect to do this. They know that with an escort like this, it is usually a benefit for a special person who has put their life on the line for others. This ride was not about us, it was out of respect for such a man named Rick Brown. Officials in Gulfport and Biloxi could learn something from this. The ride went thru Petal, St. Augustine, Beaumont, Ellisville, Seminary and back to Hattisburg. I'm sure I missed a couple of towns, but I was so busy looking at the scenery that I can't remember. We crossed a few rivers with old bridges. I just love seeing old bridges and old buildings. It was a beautiful ride.

Back in Hattiesburg the last stop was the Junkyard bar where firefighter Calvin donated his time grilling hamburgers for everyone.

This was my kind of day. Seeing the Fire and Iron Club helping a brother in need and taking an awesome ride in parts of the country that I have never seen.

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AIDEN GABRIEL SULLIVAN MEMORIAL RIDE

5/8/10 This ride was put together by the family of Aiden Sullivan and BCN Cycle Works to raise awareness of people and hospitals around the country as to what really happened to Aiden. I am told Aiden was a 15 month old who had already learned to enjoy life. He was always smiling and laughing. Aiden died in his sleep with an unknown disease. The disease had something to do with the cerebral cortex and his respiratory system. Don't ask me to explain that. If the doctors don't know, I sure don't. If their studies show this disease has not ever been known and named, it will be named after Aiden. The purpose of this ride was to raise awareness and hopefully start a foundation to fund studies for this disease. If just one young life can be saved be studies from a foundation, it will be a worthy cause. To get this foundation started, BCN Cycles say they will make this a semi-annual event.

The ride started out at 11am at BCN Cycle Works on Hwy 90 at the East end of Ocean Springs with a Pascagoula police escort (who I was told did a great job). It went thru Moss Point, Pascagoula and back to Ocean Springs to BCN Cycle Works for food and refreshments, a band and a bike show with trophies. This was a relaxing ride for a very worthy cause so watch for the next one toward the end of Summer.

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THUNDER BEACH

4/28/10 We can't take a vacation this year because the economy is bad and money is tight. Says who? There were more bikes at Thunder Beach this Spring than I have ever seen and I've been to most of them. Well maybe, people have found out that taking vacation on a bike is about the only affordable way these days. My friend Patrick and I loaded up our bikes and took off early Thursday morning. It only took nine and a half hours to ride from Bay St. Louis. Usually takes about four and a half but we took the scenic route down the beach and crossed from Dauphin Island on the ferry. That's what it's all about, the ride and the scenery. And a beautiful ride it was. Nothing like it to take your mind of the problems of life. We started down Hwy 90 enjoying the new hwy and being able to see the beach and water for most of the trip thru Mississippi. There is not too many places in the USA that you can ride the beach and see the water most of the way without hi-rises blocking the view. This is a great stress reliever.

Until this trip I had never noticed just how many art carvings there are on tree trunks left from the destruction of Katrina.I guess because I'm too busy looking at the beach and water.

I'll have to take a day and just ride the beach to stop and get a close up look at these creations. As we rode thru the Ms. Gulf Coast, I had to show Patrick (he's from Jackson) the new Fillin Station Bar and Grill in Biloxi. I just love old renovated buildings. From there it was over the bridge to Ocean Springs where we had to take a ride down Government Street to see all the shops and restaurants. From there it was thru Pascagoula and across to Bayou La Batre in Alabama. We crossed the bridge onto Daulphin Island.

We arrived at the ferry a couple minutes too late and had to wait for the ferry to cross and come back. Not a bad wait considering there is an old fort right there for sight seeing. Once across into Alabama we had to make a stop at the Flora-Bama. For what, I don't know. It just seems that everyone wants to stop at the famous Flora-Bama.

Then it was on down the beach thru Pensacola, Ft. Walton and Destin. We didn't have time to sight see because we had to be at the VIP party at 7pm. The VIP party was held at the Bay Point Marriott this year. They had a biker village set up with a band playing. A bike show was going on with the Hooter girls and Miss Thunder Beach 2009 wandering around. The new Miss Thunder Beach Pageant was at 7pm with $5000 in cash and prizes. There were 7 venues this year, all with bands playing and vendors set up. Some venues had games and bike washes set up. Each one had a little something different.

Frank Brown Park was more crowded than I've ever seen. It was a cluster getting in in out but there was plenty there. They had just about everything with vendors, bike builders and everything you need in accessories. There was the usual stunt team with free style jumping and a dome. If you are brave enough, they will let you stand in the dome with 2 bikes running in it. Not me! The free style jumpers were 30 feet in the air and getting completely off of the bikes, turning them loose and grabbing them them back just in time to get back on, all within a couple seconds. I jumped once, got off my bike, but it took a couple days and a hospital bill to get back on. I guess there is a trick to landing on the wheels. There was also a 1/4 or 1/8 mile drag race set up to race your bike, but it was all simulator. They set your bike up connected to a computer. You ride the bike stationary and shift the gears to run the quarter or one eight mile. The computer tells your time and the horsepower at the back tire. This is the fastest quarter mile you would like to run with flip-flops on. You don't have to worry about going down and looking like you just left the Texas chainsaw massacre. Another great place to go is off the beaten path. Just about 30 miles Northeast of PCB is a place called the Outpost. It is located on the water. Looks like a river but they tell me it's a creek. They have a old store with a bar inside, a campground, vendors, bikini bike wash, bands, buckets of beer, wet t-shirt contest etc. If you are looking for a good short ride and not the ordinary TB this is a great place.

On Friday there was a BON Meet and Greet party at Coyote Uglies at 2pm. Even with the rain the crowd that day was as large as the night time crowd. Ladies on the bar dancing and a good time. The good thing about a BON party is you get to meet the people face to face that you chat with on BON. Oh yea, you get to see what they really look like now instead of a pic from 20 years ago. Pretty degrading how my six-pac turned into a keg in a short 20 years.

We found a really neat place to hang out and just watch the bikes go by on Front Beach Rd. It is a drive thru beer store called Brew Thru. They had a large parking lot with a tent, tables and chairs, a dunking booth (its amazing how good women can look when they're wet), bikini bike wash and $1 canned beer. Yes I said $1. I was told that price was $1 for the opening party but even if they double it for the Fall rally, you still can't beat that on the beach. The girls there worked their tails off washing bikes and waited on you like a king. The girls, the manager and the owner all made sure you had a good time. I would say they proved they want your business. The Brew Thru is on the Front Beach Road less than a mile East of the Sandpiper or about 3 buildings East of Hwy 79. I'll be there for sure in the Fall.

For night time, it's happening all up and down the beach. The traffic was head light to tail light from one end of Front Beach to the other. Extremely large crowd. The law was out in force but didn't seem to bother anyone unless they did a burnout or were constantly sounding the pipes. There were bands at all the venues. Edgewater Mall, Shark's, Marriott, Frank Brown Park, Pier Park, Club LaVela and Pineapple Willy's all had bands and vendors. Even though the Sandpiper is no longer a venue, I still like to go see Mustang Sally and Eli. Mustang Sally was an all female band but has hired a guy to play lead guitar. The girls say because he has a nice butt, but he does play a mean guitar. Eli's drummer puts on a great show by lighting his drums on fire. Looks great at night on the beach. Even with the wind and rain the Spring rally was a good one. Now, I'll just sit back and wait on the Fall rally. Well, I might catch a rally or two in between.

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MEET AT THE CREEK

4/23/10 This was a fun rally in Mt. Hermon, La. Only a short 2 hr. ride thru the country from my house in Bay St. Louis. This rally is held twice a year and grows every time. The bad weather that was threatening probably stopped some from going but there was still a good crowd of die hards. The weather actually turned out nice with only about a 4 hour rain early on Sat. morning. Made it great for sleeping in from the party the night before. The campground (Silver Creek Campground) is normally a 4-wheeler hang out with 100 acres of trails, but is shut down for the bike rallies. They have bands as well as contests for both nights of the rally. Warning: these are adult contests, but what the heck, it is an adult rally. They have a regular in ground swimming pool to cool in and sun bath. Another warning: there were some getting rid of all tan lines. The bike games were some of the traditional games but they did have some different. They let 4-wheelers and golf carts compete in the weenie bite. Unfair you say. Because they don't have to balance? Well, the drivers were blindfolded. And actually bikes were separate from the carts. They did let 4-wheelers in just to entertain in the mud pit. Really good show. Right in the middle a female streaker ran thru the whole length of the pit and back. I had to go take a cold shower after that. Then there was the clothing optional super slide. Looked like most opted out. This is a growing rally with a very reasonable gate fee. There were plenty of electric spots left but we went on and reserved 12 spots cause like I said: It's growing!

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JOPPA SHRINE CENTER POKER RUN

4/25/10 With bad weather moving in, for safety of the riders, the owners ofM&F's Cycle Apparel decided to postpone the poker run from Saturday till Sunday. Sorry I was not in town to help spread the word. Even with the postponing, there were 28 participates and a total of $458.50 was raised. Next year M&F's promises a bigger and better poker run. From the riders I talked to that night, it could get bigger but not much better. One rider told me it was the best poker run she had ever been on. What made it so special? There were some different stops other than the traditional bars. Some non traditional stops were the Joppa Shrine Center, Orange Grove Masonic Lodge and D.A.V. Post 5 (disabled vets). The riders told me the shriners and the vets they met were all very friendly and fun to meet. Other stops were the Broke Spoke, C & R's, and SawdOff's. The weather was perfect and the stops were spaced far enough for a good ride.

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BAD BOB'S PIG ROAST

4/17/10 Thanks to Biker Babe and the Long Beach group for inviting us to ride with them. It was fun to ride and meet with people you haven't ridden with before. We had 14 bikes meet at the rest area across the La. line. Although we did kinda go separate ways when we got to Bad Bob's. There was a lot going on with the pig cooking in the cajun microwave, the vendors and the band. Oh yea, and the beer. Bud products were a little cheaper than Miller. They told me they got a good deal on the amount they bought from Bud. Now that's cool, they passed the savings on to us. That's taking care of your brother. For those that have never been to Bad Bob's, you need to take the ride. There is always something going on. This weekend they have the 100 mile ride from Bayou Country HD and Baton Rouge HD foe BACA (bikers against child abuse). This is a good group of bikers with a good cause. I've been to a couple of their events. Really good people. There will also be a live band at Bad Bob's.

Bartenders

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SILVER SLIPPER BIKE NITE

4/15/10 This is a different kind of bikenite. There is entertainment and action inside and out. Outside there was special parking set up for the bikes and special parking set up for the classic cars. There were vendors and 95.3 radio station set up. Music and a bar set up with $2 premium longnecks (that's just unheard of at a casino). On the inside a slot tournament for the bikers with cash giveaways, and Randy Jackson of Zebra playing on the main stage. What an awesome show! All this free. Now that's my kinda price. With all the bikes and classic cars, Randy Jackson and the crab leg buffet, I didn't even have time to play the slot tournament. There was just too much to do. So next week I'll have a different agenda. I'm told there will be a DJ and some bike games next week.

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BIKENITE AT SOUTHSIDE

4/14/10 The crowd is still there at Southside in Slidell for Bikenite. This was the first one I've made bikenite this year. Packs of bikes just kept rolling in. I'd guess about 250. Most of the crowd hangs outside checking out the different sleds. The restaurant gets so crowded you have to sign in to get a table, then they give you a beeper to alert you when it is ready. Their menu is above the average restaurant with their cajun dishes. The food is fantastic. All I can say is go early if you want to eat inside on bikenite. Outside they have $2 beer and low priced hotdogs and hamburgers. Bikes, all makes and models pull in. Sport bikes, 3 wheelers, choppers, low riders, gizzer glides, etc. It's Springtime so how in the world are you going to cut the grass when you put the Briggs and Straton on the Schwin. Even saw a couple of old Honda 300 bikes in really nice condition. Most of the crowd congregates in small groups talking about their bikes and different bike events. The crowd usually starts to disburse around 9pm cause tomorrow is up early and do that dreaded four letter word, w___.

The man with the black cap and lady with the skirt are my good friends Rich and Connie Jackson. They are the previous owners of Thunder Roads Ms. Magazine. You can blame them for getting me started doing this.

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FAT BOYZ CYCLES BENEFIT SHOW

4/11/10 This motorcycle show was held at the Picayune Street Fair. I had never been to the street fair before. I will be back. The crowd was massive but everything was well laid out. There were booths with crafts and goods from one end of the city to the other. Plenty to see and plenty to eat but no beer. The motorcycle show was right in the middle, but to my surprise, you could ride right in on a motorcycle and park in the field, with the show. Everything was very well laid out. There was a nice shaded area with a sound system set up. Everything well organized and some really nice bikes in the show. Great job Tink and Fat Boyz Cycles. But the show was about a precious little girl named Whitley McQueen who has Arthrogryposis and Maroteaux-Lamy (a rare disorder). I can't even pronounce that. She will require a traction halo in the near future. But, what a great attitude and personality this little girl had. She even worked her own benefit, handing out awards and judging every bike for her own personal favorite. She even took a ride on the back of her favorite. She was all smiles, all day. I need some of her attitude to rub off on me. She is definitely the type to make an impression on your life. Please keep this little sweetheart and her family in your prayers.

Whitley taking a ride

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C & R's CRAWFISH COOKOFF

4/10/10

It just gets better. Estimates of over 1500 people in attendance this year on April 10th. I didn't get a figure on the money raised for Hope Haven but was told it was a very large amount. There were over 20 teams cooking over 4000lbs of mudbugs this year. Good weather, good mudbugs, good music, good people, good beer, whole lotta beer, what else can I say. I'm looking forward to next year when the roads will be completed. Nadine, C & R's, the bands and all the volunteers did a great job this year for Hope Haven. One thing I'm trying to figure out. There is something that separates a coonass from a redneck. It's called the Pearl River. A coonass will suck the heads of dem crawfish. A Redneck will pile um to the side. Okay, I saw some local rednecks sucking the heads. So, has someone crossed the river? Has there been some cross breeding? What should a half coonass and half redneck be called? A redass?

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FUGARWE TRIBE & SHRINE POKER RUN

5/22/10 It was a great poker run with around 80 bikes. It started at Southside and went to Rosies, Fugarwe Tribe clubhouse, Turtle landing and ended at Crazy Al's. Please don't ask me to pronounce Fugarwe, I'm a Ms. redneck. I have a flyer in front of me just to spell it right. But I will say one thing... They know how to throw a party! Because of prior commitments I only made it to the last stop. I wish I could have made the whole ride. I frequent all the bars but have never made it to the Fugarwe clubhouse. A little while after I got to Crazy Al's the crowd started rolling in. Everyone was ready to party. There was a big spread of food they were serving, a raffle with plenty of prizes and a band. Great job on the poker run for the shrine childrens hospital. If you have never been to Crazy Al's, you need to try it. They have a full bar, free crabs on Wednesday afternoon and a chicken drop on weekends with a band playing. The band "AKA" was playing for this event. I love their rock n roll music. For this event the Fugarwe Tribe advertised a day of fun and brotherhood. No one was disappointed.

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MIKE BRUNOS BREAST RIDE FOR CANCER

5/22/10 As I arrived at Northshore Harley Davidson, I noticed the tents were set up for the crowd and the band as well as the grill. With the amount of benefits and parties Bruno's has done this year, these are starting to look like a permanent fixtures in the parking lot. The crowd was starting to grow.

As I entered the showroom I noticed all the sales persons working, business as usual. In the back there were a large crowd of pink shirts in a meeting. I quickly registered and proceeded to the back for the meeting. They were explaining what the ride was about. Bringing awareness to breast cancer so people will be checked before it gets to bad to be cured. And yes I did say people not just women. It is not nearly as common in men as women but it happens. We can make all the jokes we want about boobs but how would you like to be the only man you know with breast cancer. Now, it's not a laughing matter. Never was a laughing matter. Millions die every year. I know, I'm a cancer survivor myself. A few testimonies were given by survivors who are still with us and riding in the ride to bring awareness and save others lives.

For a $20 dollar donation all were given the ride, a t-shirt, hamburgers and drinks and a band playing. You can't hardly beat that. So I put on my bright pink shirt and got on my cobalt blue motorcycle to go on the ride. That combination really clashes. I was looking at my reflection in the windows and thinking what a real fruitcake I looked like. But hey, getting noticed is the best way to bring awareness and it was a great cause. Though, I hope no one got my picture. I still laugh when I think of that bright blue and pink lollipop riding down the road. But, I proudly wore pink that day. As we left Northshore, I couldn't help but think of all the employees we left behind. Benefit rides are made fun to attract more people. The employees just get to watch but they all seemed to just enjoy all the people around. Bruno's has the friendliest bunch from the managers, sales, parts to the shop techs of any Harley shop I've been in.

The St. Tammany's Sheriff's motor patrol led the ride all the way around the parish. This is what I love, the ride and seeing roads and sights I've never seen. Being from this area, I had seen most of the roads but I'm satisfied seeing just one road I've never seen.

The weather was great, people waved as we passed and the sheriff's dept. did a great job with the escort. A really great ride. With all the daily problems.... the oil spill, work, not working, the government taxing us to death, forcing health care on us and trying to take our gun rights away.... DAMMIT.... how else can you relieve stress. Doing a benefit and making a ride, that's what life is about. All of a sudden all problems disappear. But they do come back so you need to at least do a ride or two every week.
The Motor Maids ladies riding club showed up in force for this event. There was a meeting for lady riders and ladies who want to ride before the event started. Sometime soon I will have a story on this group for all you ladies who want to ride your own but may not be able to just jump out on your own and do it. If you are intimidated by us men who know everything about riding, then talking to these ladies is a great way to start. These ladies ride all over the country. When we arrived back at Northshore a band started and everyone was served drinks and hamburgers. It had gotten hot outside but nothing was wrong with the air conditioning inside. I had to break away early for the next event.

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FIRE AND IRON BENEFIT POKER RUN

5/15/10 Rick "Sherpa" Brown is a firefighter in Pensacola, Fl. Around Jan. or Feb. of this year Rick, his wife and two children had their whole life turned around. Rick was involved in a motorcycle accident and suffered head injuries. I am told he has short term memory loss. Most of what he has learned in life will have to be re-learned and still may not be remembered. Rick had chosen a life as a firefighter, protecting others property and even saving lives. When a person makes the choice to become a firefighter, it becomes an obligation to put their life on the line for others every day. Mainly others that they don't even know. We should all be thankful for the brave people who chose this career. Sure they get paid, but most of them have to work second jobs to provide for a family.

When you drive by or visit a fire station you quickly notice a very clean building with a well manicured lawn. You may notice a few people well groomed in pressed uniforms who look like they sit in an office all day. This is all because of the pride they take in what they do. This can all change in a matter of minutes. That person that looks like they just stepped out of GQ magazine may be in a fire suit sweating, covered with smut, pulling severely burned victims or bodies from a fire. Some may even leave on a stretcher them self. No, it's not the pretty picture you see at the station. And then there is the part of mentally dealing with what you see on the job. People screaming for help while burning in buildings and you know you are the only one that can save them. Children screaming for help when there is no way to get to them. Auto crashes with mangled bodies. Handling the dead bodies and the clean up afterwards. Yea, I got a little graphic but you only have to read it, most of you don't see it on a daily basis. A fireman sees it daily, then mentally deals with it and goes on with their life.

Firemen aren't paid well enough for what they do and experience. That is why the Fire and Iron Club stepped in to organize this poker run. To help a brother in bad times even though he is 200 miles away. I was told Rick may never be able to resume his career.

A short prayer was said for Rick and his family. We all pray that he will be able to get his life back to normal. With enough prayer, miracles do exist. Next it was off for the poker run. I should really call it a ride because it is understood that whoever wins will donate the money back to the benefit.

We left the station in Hattiesburg with a full escort of law enforcement and firefighters. This was amazing to me because people on the roadside waved and saluted and drivers pulled off the road when we passed. I guess in this part of the state people have enough respect to do this. They know that with an escort like this, it is usually a benefit for a special person who has put their life on the line for others. This ride was not about us, it was out of respect for such a man named Rick Brown. Officials in Gulfport and Biloxi could learn something from this. The ride went thru Petal, St. Augustine, Beaumont, Ellisville, Seminary and back to Hattisburg. I'm sure I missed a couple of towns, but I was so busy looking at the scenery that I can't remember. We crossed a few rivers with old bridges. I just love seeing old bridges and old buildings. It was a beautiful ride.

Back in Hattiesburg the last stop was the Junkyard bar where firefighter Calvin donated his time grilling hamburgers for everyone.

This was my kind of day. Seeing the Fire and Iron Club helping a brother in need and taking an awesome ride in parts of the country that I have never seen.

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AIDEN GABRIEL SULLIVAN MEMORIAL RIDE

5/8/10 This ride was put together by the family of Aiden Sullivan and BCN Cycle Works to raise awareness of people and hospitals around the country as to what really happened to Aiden. I am told Aiden was a 15 month old who had already learned to enjoy life. He was always smiling and laughing. Aiden died in his sleep with an unknown disease. The disease had something to do with the cerebral cortex and his respiratory system. Don't ask me to explain that. If the doctors don't know, I sure don't. If their studies show this disease has not ever been known and named, it will be named after Aiden. The purpose of this ride was to raise awareness and hopefully start a foundation to fund studies for this disease. If just one young life can be saved be studies from a foundation, it will be a worthy cause. To get this foundation started, BCN Cycles say they will make this a semi-annual event.

The ride started out at 11am at BCN Cycle Works on Hwy 90 at the East end of Ocean Springs with a Pascagoula police escort (who I was told did a great job). It went thru Moss Point, Pascagoula and back to Ocean Springs to BCN Cycle Works for food and refreshments, a band and a bike show with trophies. This was a relaxing ride for a very worthy cause so watch for the next one toward the end of Summer.

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THUNDER BEACH

4/28/10 We can't take a vacation this year because the economy is bad and money is tight. Says who? There were more bikes at Thunder Beach this Spring than I have ever seen and I've been to most of them. Well maybe, people have found out that taking vacation on a bike is about the only affordable way these days. My friend Patrick and I loaded up our bikes and took off early Thursday morning. It only took nine and a half hours to ride from Bay St. Louis. Usually takes about four and a half but we took the scenic route down the beach and crossed from Dauphin Island on the ferry. That's what it's all about, the ride and the scenery. And a beautiful ride it was. Nothing like it to take your mind of the problems of life. We started down Hwy 90 enjoying the new hwy and being able to see the beach and water for most of the trip thru Mississippi. There is not too many places in the USA that you can ride the beach and see the water most of the way without hi-rises blocking the view. This is a great stress reliever.

Until this trip I had never noticed just how many art carvings there are on tree trunks left from the destruction of Katrina.I guess because I'm too busy looking at the beach and water.

I'll have to take a day and just ride the beach to stop and get a close up look at these creations. As we rode thru the Ms. Gulf Coast, I had to show Patrick (he's from Jackson) the new Fillin Station Bar and Grill in Biloxi. I just love old renovated buildings. From there it was over the bridge to Ocean Springs where we had to take a ride down Government Street to see all the shops and restaurants. From there it was thru Pascagoula and across to Bayou La Batre in Alabama. We crossed the bridge onto Daulphin Island.

We arrived at the ferry a couple minutes too late and had to wait for the ferry to cross and come back. Not a bad wait considering there is an old fort right there for sight seeing. Once across into Alabama we had to make a stop at the Flora-Bama. For what, I don't know. It just seems that everyone wants to stop at the famous Flora-Bama.

Then it was on down the beach thru Pensacola, Ft. Walton and Destin. We didn't have time to sight see because we had to be at the VIP party at 7pm. The VIP party was held at the Bay Point Marriott this year. They had a biker village set up with a band playing. A bike show was going on with the Hooter girls and Miss Thunder Beach 2009 wandering around. The new Miss Thunder Beach Pageant was at 7pm with $5000 in cash and prizes. There were 7 venues this year, all with bands playing and vendors set up. Some venues had games and bike washes set up. Each one had a little something different.

Frank Brown Park was more crowded than I've ever seen. It was a cluster getting in in out but there was plenty there. They had just about everything with vendors, bike builders and everything you need in accessories. There was the usual stunt team with free style jumping and a dome. If you are brave enough, they will let you stand in the dome with 2 bikes running in it. Not me! The free style jumpers were 30 feet in the air and getting completely off of the bikes, turning them loose and grabbing them them back just in time to get back on, all within a couple seconds. I jumped once, got off my bike, but it took a couple days and a hospital bill to get back on. I guess there is a trick to landing on the wheels. There was also a 1/4 or 1/8 mile drag race set up to race your bike, but it was all simulator. They set your bike up connected to a computer. You ride the bike stationary and shift the gears to run the quarter or one eight mile. The computer tells your time and the horsepower at the back tire. This is the fastest quarter mile you would like to run with flip-flops on. You don't have to worry about going down and looking like you just left the Texas chainsaw massacre. Another great place to go is off the beaten path. Just about 30 miles Northeast of PCB is a place called the Outpost. It is located on the water. Looks like a river but they tell me it's a creek. They have a old store with a bar inside, a campground, vendors, bikini bike wash, bands, buckets of beer, wet t-shirt contest etc. If you are looking for a good short ride and not the ordinary TB this is a great place.

On Friday there was a BON Meet and Greet party at Coyote Uglies at 2pm. Even with the rain the crowd that day was as large as the night time crowd. Ladies on the bar dancing and a good time. The good thing about a BON party is you get to meet the people face to face that you chat with on BON. Oh yea, you get to see what they really look like now instead of a pic from 20 years ago. Pretty degrading how my six-pac turned into a keg in a short 20 years.

We found a really neat place to hang out and just watch the bikes go by on Front Beach Rd. It is a drive thru beer store called Brew Thru. They had a large parking lot with a tent, tables and chairs, a dunking booth (its amazing how good women can look when they're wet), bikini bike wash and $1 canned beer. Yes I said $1. I was told that price was $1 for the opening party but even if they double it for the Fall rally, you still can't beat that on the beach. The girls there worked their tails off washing bikes and waited on you like a king. The girls, the manager and the owner all made sure you had a good time. I would say they proved they want your business. The Brew Thru is on the Front Beach Road less than a mile East of the Sandpiper or about 3 buildings East of Hwy 79. I'll be there for sure in the Fall.

For night time, it's happening all up and down the beach. The traffic was head light to tail light from one end of Front Beach to the other. Extremely large crowd. The law was out in force but didn't seem to bother anyone unless they did a burnout or were constantly sounding the pipes. There were bands at all the venues. Edgewater Mall, Shark's, Marriott, Frank Brown Park, Pier Park, Club LaVela and Pineapple Willy's all had bands and vendors. Even though the Sandpiper is no longer a venue, I still like to go see Mustang Sally and Eli. Mustang Sally was an all female band but has hired a guy to play lead guitar. The girls say because he has a nice butt, but he does play a mean guitar. Eli's drummer puts on a great show by lighting his drums on fire. Looks great at night on the beach. Even with the wind and rain the Spring rally was a good one. Now, I'll just sit back and wait on the Fall rally. Well, I might catch a rally or two in between.

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MEET AT THE CREEK

4/23/10 This was a fun rally in Mt. Hermon, La. Only a short 2 hr. ride thru the country from my house in Bay St. Louis. This rally is held twice a year and grows every time. The bad weather that was threatening probably stopped some from going but there was still a good crowd of die hards. The weather actually turned out nice with only about a 4 hour rain early on Sat. morning. Made it great for sleeping in from the party the night before. The campground (Silver Creek Campground) is normally a 4-wheeler hang out with 100 acres of trails, but is shut down for the bike rallies. They have bands as well as contests for both nights of the rally. Warning: these are adult contests, but what the heck, it is an adult rally. They have a regular in ground swimming pool to cool in and sun bath. Another warning: there were some getting rid of all tan lines. The bike games were some of the traditional games but they did have some different. They let 4-wheelers and golf carts compete in the weenie bite. Unfair you say. Because they don't have to balance? Well, the drivers were blindfolded. And actually bikes were separate from the carts. They did let 4-wheelers in just to entertain in the mud pit. Really good show. Right in the middle a female streaker ran thru the whole length of the pit and back. I had to go take a cold shower after that. Then there was the clothing optional super slide. Looked like most opted out. This is a growing rally with a very reasonable gate fee. There were plenty of electric spots left but we went on and reserved 12 spots cause like I said: It's growing!

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JOPPA SHRINE CENTER POKER RUN

4/25/10 With bad weather moving in, for safety of the riders, the owners ofM&F's Cycle Apparel decided to postpone the poker run from Saturday till Sunday. Sorry I was not in town to help spread the word. Even with the postponing, there were 28 participates and a total of $458.50 was raised. Next year M&F's promises a bigger and better poker run. From the riders I talked to that night, it could get bigger but not much better. One rider told me it was the best poker run she had ever been on. What made it so special? There were some different stops other than the traditional bars. Some non traditional stops were the Joppa Shrine Center, Orange Grove Masonic Lodge and D.A.V. Post 5 (disabled vets). The riders told me the shriners and the vets they met were all very friendly and fun to meet. Other stops were the Broke Spoke, C & R's, and SawdOff's. The weather was perfect and the stops were spaced far enough for a good ride.

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BAD BOB'S PIG ROAST

4/17/10 Thanks to Biker Babe and the Long Beach group for inviting us to ride with them. It was fun to ride and meet with people you haven't ridden with before. We had 14 bikes meet at the rest area across the La. line. Although we did kinda go separate ways when we got to Bad Bob's. There was a lot going on with the pig cooking in the cajun microwave, the vendors and the band. Oh yea, and the beer. Bud products were a little cheaper than Miller. They told me they got a good deal on the amount they bought from Bud. Now that's cool, they passed the savings on to us. That's taking care of your brother. For those that have never been to Bad Bob's, you need to take the ride. There is always something going on. This weekend they have the 100 mile ride from Bayou Country HD and Baton Rouge HD foe BACA (bikers against child abuse). This is a good group of bikers with a good cause. I've been to a couple of their events. Really good people. There will also be a live band at Bad Bob's.

Bartenders

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SILVER SLIPPER BIKE NITE

4/15/10 This is a different kind of bikenite. There is entertainment and action inside and out. Outside there was special parking set up for the bikes and special parking set up for the classic cars. There were vendors and 95.3 radio station set up. Music and a bar set up with $2 premium longnecks (that's just unheard of at a casino). On the inside a slot tournament for the bikers with cash giveaways, and Randy Jackson of Zebra playing on the main stage. What an awesome show! All this free. Now that's my kinda price. With all the bikes and classic cars, Randy Jackson and the crab leg buffet, I didn't even have time to play the slot tournament. There was just too much to do. So next week I'll have a different agenda. I'm told there will be a DJ and some bike games next week.

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BIKENITE AT SOUTHSIDE

4/14/10 The crowd is still there at Southside in Slidell for Bikenite. This was the first one I've made bikenite this year. Packs of bikes just kept rolling in. I'd guess about 250. Most of the crowd hangs outside checking out the different sleds. The restaurant gets so crowded you have to sign in to get a table, then they give you a beeper to alert you when it is ready. Their menu is above the average restaurant with their cajun dishes. The food is fantastic. All I can say is go early if you want to eat inside on bikenite. Outside they have $2 beer and low priced hotdogs and hamburgers. Bikes, all makes and models pull in. Sport bikes, 3 wheelers, choppers, low riders, gizzer glides, etc. It's Springtime so how in the world are you going to cut the grass when you put the Briggs and Straton on the Schwin. Even saw a couple of old Honda 300 bikes in really nice condition. Most of the crowd congregates in small groups talking about their bikes and different bike events. The crowd usually starts to disburse around 9pm cause tomorrow is up early and do that dreaded four letter word, w___.

The man with the black cap and lady with the skirt are my good friends Rich and Connie Jackson. They are the previous owners of Thunder Roads Ms. Magazine. You can blame them for getting me started doing this.

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FAT BOYZ CYCLES BENEFIT SHOW

4/11/10 This motorcycle show was held at the Picayune Street Fair. I had never been to the street fair before. I will be back. The crowd was massive but everything was well laid out. There were booths with crafts and goods from one end of the city to the other. Plenty to see and plenty to eat but no beer. The motorcycle show was right in the middle, but to my surprise, you could ride right in on a motorcycle and park in the field, with the show. Everything was very well laid out. There was a nice shaded area with a sound system set up. Everything well organized and some really nice bikes in the show. Great job Tink and Fat Boyz Cycles. But the show was about a precious little girl named Whitley McQueen who has Arthrogryposis and Maroteaux-Lamy (a rare disorder). I can't even pronounce that. She will require a traction halo in the near future. But, what a great attitude and personality this little girl had. She even worked her own benefit, handing out awards and judging every bike for her own personal favorite. She even took a ride on the back of her favorite. She was all smiles, all day. I need some of her attitude to rub off on me. She is definitely the type to make an impression on your life. Please keep this little sweetheart and her family in your prayers.

Whitley taking a ride

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C & R's CRAWFISH COOKOFF

4/10/10

It just gets better. Estimates of over 1500 people in attendance this year on April 10th. I didn't get a figure on the money raised for Hope Haven but was told it was a very large amount. There were over 20 teams cooking over 4000lbs of mudbugs this year. Good weather, good mudbugs, good music, good people, good beer, whole lotta beer, what else can I say. I'm looking forward to next year when the roads will be completed. Nadine, C & R's, the bands and all the volunteers did a great job this year for Hope Haven. One thing I'm trying to figure out. There is something that separates a coonass from a redneck. It's called the Pearl River. A coonass will suck the heads of dem crawfish. A Redneck will pile um to the side. Okay, I saw some local rednecks sucking the heads. So, has someone crossed the river? Has there been some cross breeding? What should a half coonass and half redneck be called? A redass?

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Bayou Bash

3/20/10

Mike Bruno's Northshore Harley Davidson celebrated it's 6th year with the Bayou Thunder Bikefest on March 19th thru 21st. On Friday afternoon the kick off party started at Southside Cafe with music, vendors, food, beer and plenty of free raffles. There were probably a couple hundred bikes attending.
On Saturday, I was too late for the ride but some said the line of bikes must have stretched 2 miles. When I got to the dealership it was packed with bikes and others waiting to park. They had the burnout going on, along with the bands and plenty of vendors. The Northshore Harley tent had an unbelievable sale going on. They had a big selection of good merchandise. It wasn't just junk they can't get rid of, it was really nice gear. Jandy's was there with plenty merchandise. The Silver Slipper was there promoting their Bikenite starting April 15th and running into October on every Thursday this year. The Slipper had a wheel to spin with plenty of freebies (shirts,buffets,drinks etc). All four bands were top notch and some members wandered thru the crowd talking with everyone. I really enjoyed hearing who they had played with and where they had played. It's hard to beat two days of music like this. Saturday was so beautiful they were packed with people till the bands quit about 6pm. Sunday was cool and windy but there was still a good crowd. Like I said last year, Mike Bruno knows how to throw a party.

Group Therapy

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MIKE BRUNOS HOG RALLY CELEBRATION

3/27/10

Although the crowd was not nearly as large as the week before, the weather was great and the bands were rockin. There was a little mis-direction with the band for Friday so Monster Crawfish played Saturday starting at 11am. Group Therapy played later at 3pm. There were free drinks and hamburgers. The tent sale was going on with some great deals. Another great party.

Northshore HD

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CHALMETTE CRAWFISH FESTIVAL

3/27/10

We took the scenic route down hwy 90 to the festival. Little bumpy but the weather was right and really enjoyed the wind and the scenery. The festival had a large crowd. Not really a lot of motorcycles but everyone was really cooperative in letting us park anywhere up front that we could squeeze in. The band was jammin and everyone was having a good time. We didnt spend a lot of time but I hope to try it again next year with a little more time. Next stop was Crazy Als for a cold one. They have added a chicken drop. However the chickens tried real hard not to cooperate. All this was on Saturday so they had a nice sized crowd.

Chalmette Crawfish Fest

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GGMC 3rd ANNUAL APRIL FOOL POKER RUN

4/3/10

Registration was at the GGMC clubhouse on Hwy 43 in Picayune. They have done an outstanding job with this clubhouse, complete with a bar and plenty of covered parking. The clubhouse is mostly hidden from the highway by trees but is a really nice piece of property. As we left for the 2nd stop the rain started. It 30 per cent on our butts all day. Didn't bother anyone. We stopped at the Times Bar and Grill in Slidell in the train depot. I have to comment, the bartender was very friendly, fun and hot. She cut up and had a good time with us. Every time the train passed thru she gave out free shots. I'll have to make this one of my Slidell stops. From there we went to Crazy Als on Hwy 90 at Rigolets. The electricity had been off all day but came on as we arrived. Great timing. The band started and they had a chicken drop. Why do people line up to blow up a chickens rear end? Dont know but it happens. Well I had to cut out and head back to Waveland for bikeday at C & Rs. Wish I could have made the clubhouse in N.O. Im sure it was a party.

Chicken Drop

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KOBALT TOOL BIKE

4/4/10

On Easter Sunday the Kobalt tool bike was on display at Lowes in Waveland. My bike wanted her picture made with it since they have the same 117 S&S engine and 300 back tire. But, the similarities stop there. The design, detail and engineering on the Kobalt bike were absolutely awesome. I was told it was the last bike built by Orange County Choppers. The bike was simply beautiful but, at least I can ride mine.

Kobalt Tools

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BIKENITE AT THE FILLIN STATION

4/6/10

What a great place! This was an actual fillin station. The building is original with the same old time look but completely remodeled. The building is extremely clean inside and out. It features a nice sized bar, a kitchen and a patio right next to the street. They have a good menu with really great food. I could smell the seafood cooking for a block before I got there. I was there April 6th for their Bikenite. There were around 50 bikes there. A band was playing and it was great just to lounge on the patio. I met some really fun people there. If you are looking for a good Bikenite on Tuesdays, this is it.

The Fillin Station

THUNDER BEACH

4/28/2011 There is way too much to do at this rally in 4 days. You would really have to spend a whole week just to visit all the venues and

spend a little time enjoying the music, vendors and entertainment. Newby's as always was a hotspot with bands and vendors. Again there

there were 7 venues with anything from bands to bikini contests to bikini bikewash to vendors to stunt shows. And by the way Frank Brown Park just gets bigger every year. The crowd was enormous. Everywhere you look just bikes and more bikes. Makes me wonder just how crowded it would have gotten if not for the tornadoes passing thru Alabama and Georgia. I believe the biggest part of the out of state crowd comes from these 2 states. With the price of gas

it just makes since for people in the South to go on and take a week or two vacation. Visit the restaurants, bars, the beach, Pier Park and the many things to do on the water before the rally. Because, like I said it takes more than 4 days just to spend a little time at the venues.

Everywhere you look just bikers and bikes. Everyone having a great time with plenty to do. One of my favorites is the stunt show at Frank Brown Park. I really don't know why they call it a

a stunt show. Usually a stunt is something a person attempts to do without killing them self. Such as in my younger years attempting to get 6 feet of air and land on two wheels without at least breaking a bone or two. Yea, I did a lot of limping in my younger years. But these guys were getting thirty feet of air. I guess that explains how they had time to get off there bikes and do acrobatics before coming back down. They were doing 30 minute continuous shows all 4 days (one jump after the other) without a fall. No this is not a stunt, it's all professional. If you've never been to this rally, it's well worth taking a vacation to visit beautiful Panama City Beach with the white sands and emerald green water during this rally.

Note: If you are ever at a rally and see a vendor with custom lighting named LIGHT THEM UP , pay them a visit. One of our local bikers from Ms. was having a bad gas day. The bike simply would not run. But these guys took time out from their busy schedule to help out. Visit them at LightThemUp.com

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FAUNSDALE

4/14/11 The crowd arrived early. By lunchtime on Thursday there were no roadside camp spots left. It had the looks of a big party in the

making. There was plenty of night time entertainment with bands on stage and the popular pole dancing at different campsites. Friday became party day for Mother Nature with heavy thunderstorms and hail most of the day.

A few thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes on both sides can't stop a bike party. Just pile up the

tents that were torn up by the wind and hail. They make a great bonfire. Barbed wire makes a great clothes hanger. But non of this put a damper on the party. The bike games still took place on the wet ground making it even more fun. The crowd stayed thru the storm and had a great time whether their clothes were dry or

hanging on the fence. That's what makes a bike party so great. People are going to have a good time, no matter what happens. I think they just need to rename this rally "Funsdale".

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PROFILING?

4/19/11 In several states there are lawsuits and protests going on about the so called safety check roadblocks for motorcycles only. A "safety" roadblock was set up in Georgia right before the Daytona Rally this year. This comes from Georgia A.B.A.T.E. The roadblocks are a violation of our rights and are a pure attempt at profiling. The Savannah Stop had 17 GSP cars, 2 Sheriffs cars, 1 DOT car, a van filming and photographing every biker and a helicopter. This sounds like a Border Crossing in a communist country and has nothing to do with safety. House Bill 375 introduced in the NC General Assembly by first-term representative Glen Bradley of Youngsville would clarify that checkpoints are illegal in the state. Law enforcement refers to roadblocks as checkpoints, check points, or safety checkpoints. US Supreme Court has ruled checkpoints are seizures without a warrant and without probable cause, and as such are unconstitutional in violation of the 4th Amendment of the Bill of Rights, but the court specifies there are exceptions which allow police to violate the law in the name of public safety. For example, if police received a tip that there are religious extremists with a bomb on the way to blow up a building, there may be good reason to conduct a roadblock. It would still be illegal, but it would be an allowed exception to the Bill of Rights. With all that said now I will say, let's don't let this crap get started on our playground! I'll let you be the judge of this incident because I have hard feelings. I will give you the facts. I was there. I was stopped for no reason. My drivers license info and tag were copied on a note pad. ( I guess to turn in to big brother). April 9th I started my day with a benefit poker run on for a fellow biker who had been killed in a bike accident. It's only natural to do the run on bikes. The benefit money was fully donated to the two small daughters of the man killed. As we got to the second stop at Stinky Pinks motorcycle shop, I noticed a Jackson County deputies patrol car with two bikes pulled over. As I approached the deputy instructed me to make an illegalu-turn to get behind the other two bikes. He asked for my license which he proceeded to jot down all the info on a pad. He then asked what club I rode with. I wanted to reply "Spankys Gang" but, being I needed to finish helping with this benefit, I replied "none". He then went to the back of my bike and wrote down my

tag number. As he handed me back my license and told me I could go, I caught a familiar but foul aroma. Wait! He didn't even check my insurance papers, inspection sticker, ask my if I had been drinking, check for DOT helmets, or even call my tag number in to find out who I stolen the bike from. Now the smell was getting bad. I was raised on a farm and am really familiar with bullsh--. I asked if he minded telling me what this was about. He replied that there was another benefit locally going on with motorcycles and they were doing a survey to see where everyone was from. I knew this. Actually there were three benefit poker runs going on here on the Ms. Gulf Coast. Did I say benefit? They set up a roadblock for a benefit? Really, for a benefit. I've never heard of any crimes on a benefit poker run. Well, black spring break was also going on the Ms. Gulf Coast. Black spring break has a record for crimes being committed on the Ms. Gulf Coast. But, God forbid they set up a roadblock for them. That would be "profiling". As I pulled into the 2nd stop, I noticed this was not a traditional roadblock. There was one set up at each side of the business. You could not get to the business without getting blocked. Just for this business which happened to be on our poker run. Smelling worse. Then I noticed they stopped a cage. Well, at least this was not a motorcycle only roadblock. But as I watched, a fellow rider told me that was the first car they had stopped since he had been there and he got there when they were setting up the roadblock. Hmmm, are you catching the aroma yet? I've been in several pastures with a lot of bullsh-- but this pile I just stepped in was fresh. I guess I'm a little pissed that they wrote down all my personal information and didn't tell me what they intended to do with it. They may argue that the info is public info. So even putting that aside does this not totally stink to you?

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RIDE FOR BANDIDO ROCK

4/9/11 This ride was organized to raise money for the two small children of a man who was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident on I-10 right before Christmas. My understanding was the heavy traffic and change in levels of the asphalt being poured were factors in the accident. The Confederados organized the ride
and as usual did an excellent job. Registration was at Your Mamaz House with free, fresh donuts and coffee. This was a great wake up

with the cool morning breeze and the riverfront view. Great relaxation before the ride. From

there some made the next stop at the Harley Shop since it was on Cedar Lake also. I went on to Stinky Pinks next in Ocean Springs where we had a little surprise awaiting. The sheriffs dept. had a roadblock at each side of Stinky Pinks entrance. Was this profiling? Well, I'll do another story about that since this is a benefit put together for two small girls who lost their father.

Anyway, from there I went to the Harley shop then back by Your Mamaz and on to Nates where some other bikes were stopping in on a poker run to raise money for the funeral expenses of Fritz Dreyer. Then it was on to the Shed on Hwy 53 for lunch. We opted to eat
there because they were donating a portion to the benefit for Rock's children. Then it was on to the Armed Forces clubhouse for the best hand.

A massive crowd awaited the incoming of the last bikes. There was food, 50/50 raffle, auctions and a band. The two small girls, Isabel and Zoe were there to greet everyone. The only description I can give is that they were precious. For those that are a little timid and shy about being around a large motorcycle club, I'll just say these two cute little girls were very comfortable around everyone. If everyone could have seen the compassion, tenderness and love shown for the daughters of a fallen brother they would have realized that these are just good people. Some money and prizes were donated back to the benefit. That is real bikers to me. If you would like to make a donation, they are being accepted at Regions Bank in the name of Isabel and Zoe Adams account.

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ROLLIN ON THE RIVER KICKOFF PARTY

4/3/11 Spring must be here. The bikes are out of Winter lockdown and the chrome is shined. Riding season has started with a kickoff

party and pig roast at Your Mamaz House in Biloxi. The pig was cooked just the way I like it .... free. The crowd was awesome.

I'll guess around 150 bikes and 40 boats in and out all day. The pig was professionally slow

cooked for over 12 hours by the Who Dat cooking team. Secrets on cooking were not revealed, but man was it great! With the beans, potato salad and a secret recipe meat loaf, it was more than a meal for those who were starving from a combination of an early, long bike ride and not eating lunch. The band, Mud

Bucket, cranked up around 3pm with some good ole rock n roll, which gave everyone a chance to work off some of the food that was going fast. What an awesome crowd. Good thing the weather was nice and there was plenty of

outdoor space. The bartenders were a little over whelmed. It was a little hectic moving beverages but the crowd was patient. How could they not be with the music, free food and bikinis to enjoy.

The owner says, since this was the first kickoff party that you have to learn by mistakes. She promises that "things will just get better". I can't see how they can get much better. The Bud Girls were there, prizes were given away and even a 50/50 benefit raffle with half going to the Patriot Guard Riders to purchase funeral flags for our fallen soldiers and veterans. It was a great laid

back day on the river to sit back and enjoy a daiquiri or cold beer and the scenery. You may ask how does that work with boaters and bikers at the same place? I'd have to say it works well

since so many bikers have boats and so many boaters have bikes. I guess it's all about the

ride, the fresh air and the scenery. Sure makes Monday mornings hard.

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CUSTOMER APPRECIATION POKER RUN

4/2/11 SawdOff's and M&F Cycles hosted their 1st Annual Benefit Poker Run on Saturday.This year

to benefit the Kiln Volunteer Fire Dept. There were between 30 to 40 bikes involved in the run

There was a BBQ with ribs, garlic bread and jambalya and donations were taken. A total of

$1200.00 was raised from this event. M&F's had a sale and

prizes were given away. Job well done and we are looking forward to next year.

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RUN FOR THE WALL

This is the 23rd year for the Run For The Wall. On the 6th day of the Run it passes
from Monroe, La to Meridian, Ms. There is a stop in Jackson, Ms. at the Harley Davidson
Shop on I-55 South for festivities. There will be a ceremony along with re-enactments of every war from the French and Indian up to the
War on Terrorism. There will also be Huey, Cobra Attack, Black Hawk, Chinook and
observation helicopters as well as the Army Black Daggers making a grand entrance. This
whole event at the Harley Shop in Jackson lasts from May 21st till May 23rd. There is really too much going on for me to list it all. You can read more about the Run bu googling RFTW 2011. I am putting this story out early so that people will have time to make plans.

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ERIN WOLSLAGER POKER RUN

3/26/11 This poker run started and ended at Froggy Bears on Hwy 43. The attendance was

good with around 40 bikes. Stops were made at Lakeshore VFW, Third Base,

SawdOffs and the Broke Spoke. Nice weather and good people made for a fun ride. Back at

Froggie Bears, the music was jammin with several different bands. There were a couple of raffles and catfish plates with the money

all donated to the benefit. All in all it was good music, good food, good people and a great ride.

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BAMA BIKE FEST

3/17/11 The weather was perfect for the bike rally this year. Plenty warm during the day and

cool enough at night that there was no need for air conditioning. This year there was a rumor that there would be no motorized ATV's, UTV,s or golf carts. But the carts were all there,

roaming from party to party all day and night. That's what each camp site is, a party with everyone invited. The vendors were there with

leather, shirts and other biker apparel. There was no need to cook with plenty of good food vendors at a reasonable price. I like to do it simple and let them do the cooking. Hell, I can cook at home. No need to cook on vacation. The stage entertainment was full from evening till late night with bands and adult contests and

games. During the day were the typical bike games with the slow ride, weenie bite and keg

toss that even the Mayor of Bama Bike Fest participated in. The bike show was the big

event for the day. So many beautiful and unique bikes. We even had some local talent from the Ms. Gulf Coast. I would have hated to be judging

this contest with so many nice bikes. Everyone has their own personal favorite. Usually it is one that suits their riding style. I guess if I had to pick a bike I could ride every day, it would have been

the softail with the fairing. I never cared about the looks of a fairing (even though they are useful) but this bike was way too cool. And a screaming eagle to top it off. Now, my gears are turning in my little mind. All in all, it was a great rally and one of my favorites, even though some say it is going to the dogs. They may be right but, you know dog

is man's best friend.

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Some may ask why I am writing about a dog on a bike website. The answer is because, it is my website and I can. Really, because my dog was a free spirit a lot like me, she enjoyed her freedom. Being able to do what she wanted, when she wanted. From the time she came to my house as a stray, she let it be known that she had to have her freedom. I tried to keep her in the house, just once. She chewed up the new sheetrock around the windows and doors. No where else, just the windows and doors. Meaning she could smell the outdoors and wanted her freedom. She loved the smell of fresh air and roaming around the neighborhood. Sound Familiar? Most bikers love the fresh air and their freedom to ride.
She did not want to be petted. She just wanted to be left alone. She did not get close to
anybody or even another animal. She was a real loner. I love to ride my bike and roam the country and I do a lot of it alone. To me, if you can't get around and enjoy your freedom and the fresh air then life is not worth living. After living at my house for 5 years, Boo Boo developed congestive heart failure as well as heart worms. At first her body swole up with fluid and she had trouble getting around. I tried giving her medicine but had no luck. She just kept swelling up and then could not get around at all. She just sat and stared across the field. After reading all the articles on the internet about congestive heart failure and watching her lose her freedom, I decided it was time to let her go. I hope when my time comes that I cannot ride my bike, enjoy my freedom and see the country, that there is a way I can just quietly check out.

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SOUTHERN BIKER NEWS MOTORCYCLE SHOW

3/12/11 There is no better way to kick off the start of Spring than a Motorcycle Show. On Saturday, Southern Biker News did just that with their 1st
annual show at Edgewater Mall in Biloxi. There were some really fine bikes in the show that attracted quite a crowd. One of my personal
favorites was a restored 1942 Harley. I guess because it is similar to the bikes in some old pictures of my uncle from the 40's that I found. These pictures were black and white of course but they were so old they have ruffles around the edges. It's really hard to tell what year my uncle's bikes were because they were mostly bikes used during the war and so many parts had been changed. Anyway here at the bike show was a bike that could bring back many memories to someone a little older than me. But next was a customized 68 Thiumph Bonneville
from my teenage days. Actually the old picture of it and the custom job brought back many memories. There were 4 classes to compete in: classic, custom, sport and cruiser. Seemed like
some of these bikes could have competed in a couple of classes since the owners are the ones that put the limit on what they can do to them.
Or, is there a limit? I guess not. Anyway, I don't
know exactly what the 3-wheeler in the middle was, as I have a hard time calling a vehicle you sit in and having three wheels a motorcycle. But it had a motorcycle tag and God knows our elected officials know more about motorcycles than I do. After all they are the ones who classify motorcycles as recreational so they can suck more money out of us for tags and insurance. We ought to be ashamed to ride such a vehicle to work that causes so much damage to the roads and other vehicles, uses so much gas and takes up so much space to park. Anyway, back to this 3-wheeler. I have seen similar ones on the road and they look like they would be a wild, fun ride but there is nothing to compare with leaning to control 2 wheels in the curves. Oh yeah, I can't end this without making mention of the bikini contest going on next to the bike show. For once the bikes got more attention than the bikinis.

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SAWDOFF'S AND M&F'S BIKENITE

2/24/11 SawdOff's Bar and Grill and M&F's Cycles are located next each other in a shopping center at

16160 Hwy 603 in Kiln, Ms. They have teamed up for a bikenite on Tuesday nights. They will feature $2 domestic beer, 50/50 drawing, 1/2 off on all menu appetizers and with each drink you receive a ticket for the drawing at M&F's that night. M&F's and SawdOff's both have a history for helping sponsor benefits with the biker community. Since opening M&F's has doubled the size of their store. SawdOff's is in the process of adding a outside deck, so I am sure there is more to come. I am sure that some remember last fall M&F's had their anniversary party along with SawdOff's new owners grand opening party. It was a great time with bands and radio remote. Some will also remember
their parking lot used as one starting point in the Asgard Toy Run with several hundred bikes starting there.

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A & R CYCLES 2/17/11 Although A & R's only opened it's doors in July of 2010, the owners Angela and Randell are well recognized among the motorcycle

community. The shop specializes in V-twins and will do anything from oil changes to

complete rebuilds. They have a nice sized shop with three lifts and all up to date equipment. They also do tire changes so you can bring your bike by to get all the preventative maintenance

necessary. It seems riding season has sneaked up on us early in February this year. Don't get too anxious to ride and ignore the maintenance. You could get stranded on the interstate right at the top of the Jourdan River bridge. Go on, ask me how I know that. Oh well, at least now I have a good excuse to get a little S & S heart transplant on her. Up front they have a large showroom with

plenty of waiting room for the bike that is next up. The also have a show counter with plenty of

in stock items to keep you going without a wait on shipping. I hear it will be in the 70's next week. So if your bike just doesn't sound or feel right, don't take the chance on being stranded, take it by and get it checked out. A&R's is located on Hwy 49 in Saucier, Ms.

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ACCIDENTS

2/14/11 I do not enjoy reporting bad news, but with Spring coming on and more bikes out to enjoy it, I just want to remind everyone to be aware that drivers are not always paying attention to us. This past weekend there were a couple of local accidents that bring this to reality. This article from the Sun Herald

Motorcyclist Dies In Crash With Pickup

By DONNA HARRIS - dharris@sunherald.com

GULFPORT -- A Long Beach motorcyclist was killed in a two-vehicle accident Saturday, police said.
Joseph Neale, 56, was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital at Gulfport, Harrison County Coroner Gary Hargrove said.
Neale, who was riding a 2004 Harley-Davidson 1200, died from blunt-force trauma, Hargrove said.
The accident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. at 28th Street and 30th Avenue near U.S. 49, Gulfport police Capt. Chris Loposser said.
Hargrove said Neale was apparently trying to make a left turn and crossed in front of a Ford full-size pickup, which couldnt avoid hitting the motorcycle.
The identity of the trucks driver has not been released.
Hargrove said Neale was wearing a DOT-approved helmet.
The accident remains under investigation, Loposser said.

Our sympathy goes out to the family of Joseph Neale.

ALSO

Confederado "Slo Mo" was involved in a two car accident on Hwy 43 this past weekend. I have no news on his injuries as of now. He was driving the green blazer. I can only imagine if he

had been on his bike. Nothing has changed since last years riding season so please watch out for other drivers.

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RIDE TO SLIDELL MARDI GRAS PARADE

2/13/11 Always be sure to take care of your bike the night before a ride. When you take care of

your bike before a ride it will usually take care of you on the ride. And they warm up really quick when kept in climate control. When asked why I keep my bike in the living room, the answer is simple.... because I'm not married and I can. Okay just a little bragging. Well the weather was great for a ride and 9 bikes showed up to leave BSL headed for the

Mardi Gras Parade in Slidell. Southside is a

great place for bikers to meet up and watch the parade. The parking lot is huge and they have plenty of reserved parking up front for bikes.

We arrived a couple hours before the parade but there was plenty to do with a hamburger and beer stand in the parking lot. Only canned beer as bottles are not allowed on the parade route.

Southside had music going and $2 beer outside so it was not long before the parking lot was full of bikes and riders ready to party. The parade

was short , but had plenty of nice goodies being thrown. Seemed like a good many were heading to The Landing after the the parade. Our group had riders from Covington to Mobile and every where between so most wanted to get back before the temps started to drop. This hopefully is the start of a great year for riding.

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CHELSEA SELLERS POKER RUN

2/5/11 Yes, it's February and yes, it's kinda chilly for a bike ride, but that did not stop about a dozen riders from raising money for a

good cause. Chelsea Sellers died at the early age of 19 leaving behind her small children and loving family. Once again the Confederados RA stepped in and planned a benefit to aid in funeral and other expenses.

Family and friends watched as the bikes headed off from Teasers in the cold weather to complete their mission. The first stop was The Shed on Hwy 53 in Gulfport. It was about lunch time so

most everyone grabbed a beverage and some fine barbecue. Then it was on up Hwy 49 to A&R's Cycles. There we had a tour of their

big, really nice shop. From there we road the back way thru the country over the Tchoutacabouffa River to Your Mamaz House

for another beverage and free food. I'm looking forward to Spring and Your Mamaz House April 3rd kickoff of Rollin on the River featuring bands, boats, bikes and babes. Next stop was Buddy's on 28th St. in Gulfport.

Always a good time at Buddy's. Then it was back to Teasers for the winning hand and raffles

The Confederados did plenty of background work getting raffle prizes from participating businesses as well as others. Like I said the day was cold and the crowd was small. But I have to talk about a great bunch of people. Bill Fish won the poker hand and a tab from Your Mamaz House....Donated both back. Several of the raffled prizes were donated back for auction. Everyone's heart was open. The bids were pretty high on these items. Like I say, I've seen a lot of bigger poker runs but I don't think I've seen a more giving bunch than this one. The reason I make mention of all the stops is because they all donate to the cause. Riding is an Habit. Riding for a benefit becomes an addiction. Support those who support our addiction.

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WINTER BIKENITES

1/25/11 If you are suffering from cabin fever or wind deprivation, sitting at home only makes it worse. There are a few places that have refused to let a little cold weather stop the good times. Bikenites have not changed at

the Fillin Station in Biloxi at the corner of Howard and Main St. Even though the crowd is not as large, there are still die hard riders who refuse to except Winter as an excuse to sit on the couch. GRS Experience still plays every Tuesday night. If you love Rock n Roll, you need The GRS Experience. Another bikenite that has not stopped thru the winter is at Your Mamaz

House on Cedar Lake Rd. in Biloxi, just north of I-10. They are still having free food and $2 longnecks every Wednesday. Even with cold weather and hard economic times these establishments are still putting out to make sure riders have a place to unwind and enjoy. Remember: Riding is an addiction, support those who support our habit.

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RIDE TO THE ROUNDTABLE

1/15/11 Riders from South Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana came together for a ride to the Roundtable in Columbia, Ms. Eight bikes came together for this ride. In all twelve riders. Most

met on BikerOrNot.com. The Roundtable is a nice little restaurant located on Church Street in Columbia, Ms. It has a white picket fence and a giant rocking chair in the front yard, open for photo opps. When you enter the restaurant you immediately notice the the country atmosphere and the friendly staff. The tables seat around 12

and have a large turntable in the middle. The waiter constantly brought out good country fresh vegetables and their specialty, fried chicken. As we spun the table and snatched food out from under each other we got a little louder. But it seemed the louder we got, the more staff came out to cut up with us. The cook "AKA Elvis" came out to challenge us to finish all the food on the table. We couldn't finish because he just kept sending more food out. Even the owner, who is also a biker, came out to join the fun. And there were plenty of deserts. We all wished we were leaving in side carts. All in all we had great food and a good time. As we left the ladies decided to sit in the Giant rocking chair for pictures. No, they rode in the chair because it is

an actual rocking chair. They were having too much fun on that ride. We were worried they may never get on a Harley again. They said it was almost as fun as.........naah! Well, since we

were in this neck of the woods we decided to make a run to Red Bluff. Where is Red Bluff you may ask? Well it's just North of Possum Trot, Ms. which is Northwest of Morgantown, Ms. which is West of Columbia, Ms which is North of Sandy Hook, Ms. Okay, Sandy Hook now you may be familiar with that area. The ride was nice with a few curves and hills (If you want more curves you can ride on North towards Monticello). The highway has been moved over at Red Bluff due to erosion, but you can still ride

right up too the Bluff. I am told you can see three different counties from the Bluff. With the erosion you can see the different layers of

colored sand. This is unlike any areas in Mississippi that I have ever seen. This Bluff is beautiful and a great places for pictures. With one exception, the Litter. It seems some people

leave their litter and it washes down the Bluff ruining a beautiful area. Your Mamaz House Bar and Grill has decided to sponsor a group to
clean up Red Bluff. If anyone is interested in helping, you can contact me at 228-324-4335. We will need a volunteer with a truck that has a wench so we can scale the Bluff. For the daredevils, this should be a fun job. Soon the temps would be dropping so we headed back in time to hit a local watering hole

called the Sandbar located in Columbia. Oops, as usual we stayed a little too long and had to deal with the cold on the way home.

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RIDE TO MOBILE

1/9/11 It was a Sunday, it was sunny and the temp. was around 60 degrees. With that combination on the new year, it was time to take a ride. I had read of a ride started by a group on Bikerornot.com going to the Mobile

flea market. So I decided to take the ride with them, with one exception. Since I had never been to Burnouts in Saraland (just a few miles above Mobile) I passed the flea market and went ahead. We met and ate that morning at the Affle House in Biloxi (yea, I left the W out on purpose). I had the bacon, lettuce and whatever that pink thing was sandwich. A group of nine bikes and a chase vehicle headed out thru the country to Mobile. I hated it for the ones in the

car, but for once we had too many women and not enough bikes. I had never ridden these country roads before so it was a great ride for me, seeing small towns, rivers and country I had never seen before. As I passed the flea market and everyone else turned in, I noticed it was packed. This is a big flea market and the parking lot was full. I have been to it before so I know it is usually pretty easy to park when you ride a bike. A couple of us went on down to burnouts. It was only about 10 miles further down the road. Burnouts is outside the city limits but was easy to find. It is a pretty good sized building with a big deck on the back. They will be having about 4 different rallies this year including the Bike-O-Rama on May 20-22 and the Independence Day Rally during the 4th of July. There is plenty of land for camping in the back and also showers.They have a bandstand inside and on the deck so it looks like a great party place. We headed on back early so we could meet back up with our group at Boonedocks for

lunch. Boonedocks is another nice bike bar with a fenced in backyard for bike parking only. It has plenty of TV's for sports and a big backyard with an outside bar and sometimes bands on nice weekends. After lunch, we hit the interstate for a short ride back to Your Mamaz House in Biloxi

to watch the Saints game. Oh come on, the Saints did good just to make it to the playoffs this year with all the injuries they had and "There is always last year". It was a great day

riding with friends and seeing country I haven't seen before. Can't wait for Springtime.

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Our sympathy and prayers go out to the family and friends of Bandido Rock. RIP

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SCOOTERS

12/18/10 We talk about rides, events and benefits all the time. Now it's off season for most riders so let's talk about maintenance and the guys

who keep us in the road. Scooters has been open in Saucier, Ms. since July of 2007. Scooters specializes in all V twins. Owner Kenny says there is nothing we can't do to a

Harley. They sell, mount and balance tires. They do oil changes and tune ups as well as any needed preventative maintenance. They can fix

any problem you may have with a V twin. From experience with my Bigdog, I can say they had me going in no time at a very reasonable price. Their showroom is full with parts from names

such as Drag, V Twin and Bikers Choice. With access to over 137 vendors, if they don't have what you need in the shop, they can usually get it quick. They also carry accessories such as

seats, batteries, tires, helmets, bags and even some riding apparel. If you have an Idea in your head for a custom bike, the friendly staff will be glad to sit down with you
and design it on paper. After you design your dream bike they can order everything you need and build it suit your preferences. Even down to the custom pin striping and air brush graphics by Mark. For best turn around on your bike call ahead at 228-832-7444.They are open Tues. thru Sat. from 9 till 5 and Sun 12 till 5. Scooters is located on Hwy 49 about 10 miles North of I-10 in Saucier, Ms. You can also check out their website by clicking on onlyatscooters.com

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TOYS FOR TYKES RIDE

12/11/10 This ride was started more than 20 years ago to collect toys for children who have been displaced from their families. The ride

began this year at Friendship Park in Picayune, Ms. with a little over 100 riders. Some even coming from La. just to help with the benefit.

This was a non stop escorted ride thru Picayune to the City Hall where the bikers take over the building. There was a PA system set up at the top of the steps. It starts with a prayer and

thanking God for our soldiers and our freedom.

followed by the Star Spangled Banner and the raising of the flag. There was a recognition of all our vets and a salute to each branch of service followed by a seven gun salute in honor of the

heroes who gave all. Usually there is a firing of a civil war cannon but this year they had another obligation with the cannon. Taps was then played and a prayer of thanks to our soldiers. There was a thank you speech from the organizers and the church that received the toys

for distribution. It was nice to see young children involved in this ride. Learning to be thankful for a good life and learning to give to the less fortunate at an early age. The regular challenge of $5 was made by Tinker to raise money to support these displaced children. This year on a $5 challenge they raised $775. Not bad for a on the spot donation. Santa was even there with his

ho ho hos helping to spread some Christmas cheer. And speaking of cheer, some of us were eager to indulge in some Christmas cheer. Since Picayune is a dry town everyone was invited to the VFW for a large meal and bands. Not too often you see a police escort to get a beer. At

the VFW there was plenty of really great holiday food and the Wolf River Band was playing. And some really cold beer. The band let other locals sit in and there was music that you don't just hear every day. It was a good relaxing evening.

If you've never made this ride, you need to put it on your calendar for next year. It is usually around the second weekend of December.

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FOOD PANTRY RUN

12/4/10 It's great to be on a ride in December where you can take your jacket off. Well, most of us hot nature people could go without them. Makes me wish Spring would hurry up and get here. Registration started at 10 am so it

had a little time to warm up. Only about 15 bikes showed up at BCN Cycles for the poker run but one rider was having the time of her life. Cricket,

a little spotted canine friend, made the whole ride with us. We made the ride to Coast cycles, then up to Scooters in Saucier, over to

Ms. Coast Harley Davidson and final destination Your Mamaz House for the winners and the raffles. At Your Mamaz House there was music by David and James. A 50/50 raffle along with raffles for prizes donated by a least a dozen generous businesses.There were hamburgers and hotdogs donated by the bar with a small donation to the Food Pantry. I have never seen hotdogs that big. They were about an inch and a half in diameter. Careful, this place could get a reputation for the biggest wieners in town.

Even though the turnout for the poker run was small, there were quite a few bikes at Your Mamaz House for the benefit and raffles. I'll have to mention that just a week after their big Toy Run, there was a big turnout from the Asgard MC. All in all for this time of the year, the first time for this benefit and the holidays coming on, I thought there was a good crowd and a big success. But Your Mamaz House is already working on a bigger and better Run for next year.

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26TH ANNUAL ASGARD TOY RUN

11/28/10 It's hard to believe this started 26 years ago. This has developed into a very big event. The news said over 600 bikes. I would say so. Hell, I could see 600 out the corner of one eye. I don't know, maybe it's cause the news person drives a car. Someone needs to tell them that even though bikes pay higher road taxes and higher insurance we can get 4 bikes in one parking space for a car. So count bikes not parking spaces. Well, that's another story so back to the Toy Run. There were several places to start from. I started in the parking lot at SawDoff's

with around 300 other bikes. With the aid of the Hancock Sheriffs Dept and the escort of the Ms.

Highway Patrol, we were able to make a straight shot to the Canal Rd. Dragway. This by the way, as I'm sure everyone knows is the same location for the Asgards Memorial Day Blowout. Here we met up with several other groups. With all the people and old friends I haven't seen in so long, I was too busy to count bikes. But I will say I

I could not find a place to stand and get all the bikes in one picture. I would have had to get in a plane to get them all and we weren't halfway

thru the ride. The crowd was as big as any I've seen at the Pitstop on Bikenite and they have had over 500. Okay enough about the crowd. I will mention because many have asked and are concerned, that as we left the dragstrip and hit I-10, there was a small accident. As we accelerated on to the interstate into 2 lanes of upcoming traffic, there was a herd of alligators (18 wheeler tire tread) in all lanes. As riders were dodging and hitting brakes, one was left with no where to go and clipped another knocking the saddlebag off and sending the rider flying. I talked to the rider later. He said he was fine but I did see some road rash. Not bad for the acrobatics he demonstrated. You know, we are supposed to leave enough braking distance between riders but I'll tell you from that day we had a dually break into the ride from an on ramp. First by running down the shoulder (slinging rocks everywhere) to get up speed. Next he cut into the line, then hit the passing lane. Then he cut into the line again to get off on Canal Rd. Nice driving ASSHOLE. This is why we have to endanger ourselves by riding so close together. Actually since we were accelerating onto the interstate into two lanes of upcoming traffic with tire tread everywhere, all riders did a great job of avoiding a pileup. As

we pulled into the parking lot at Home Depot to meet up with the groups coming from other points, I looked around and OMG! Did I mention there may have been a few more bikes than 600. Next it was off to the Knights of Columbus in Biloxi to deliver the goods.There an 18 wheeler was awaiting our arrival. There was

a good size load in the 18 wheeler by the time it was done. There were several box trucks offloading into the 18 wheeler. What a great job

the Asgards have done thru the years with this Toy Run. As a matter of fact, with what they do for the children at Christmas and what they do for the economy on the Ms. Gulf Coast with the Blowout, I think they deserve a community service award. Well, last stop was the party put on at Ms Coast Harley Davidson. Here all the riders were

treated to a free sandwich from The Shed. There were plenty of cold beverages and GRS Experience cranked up at 2pm for entertainment.

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3 in 1

11/20/10 Three things happening in the same parking lot on the same day. First there was the ride

to deliver all the goods collected in Hancock County to Ms. Gulf Coast Harley Davidson for packaging to deliver to our soldiers overseas. Since November was declared Military Appreciation Month, Ms. Gulf Coast H-D decided to take it one step further and put together care packages to deliver overseas.

M&F's Cycles and C&R's stepped up to help collect items in Hancock County and set up a fun ride to deliver them to the Harley shop.

Linda Graffeo took it on her own to visit local businesses and collect donations. A pickup load filled above the sides and the back seat was delivered. Linda was responsible for over half the load that came from local businesses. About

15 local riders showed up to escort the ride even with the thick fog that morning. The escort was led by Ed Baker and Patriot Guard Riders. Ed is the State Captain for Ms. The goods were delivered and then it was back to Kiln for parts

2 and 3. The Anniversary and Expansion of M&F's Cycles and the New Ownership of

SawDoffs. When we arrived Z95.3 had a live remote in the parking lot and South Fusion was setting up to play. Bikes were rolling in and out

all afternoon. The GGMC was set up giving

everyone the opportunity to win a new Harley. It was a great day for an outdoor party. There was dancing in the parking lot. M&F's had plenty of sale items and SawDoff's had plenty of food and beverage. As the sun started going down and after a long day I headed South. But the party was still going on with another band getting ready to play. Sometime during the night it all came to an end. The End

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SLEEPING BAG RUN

11/14/10 In memory of Cheryl Griffin, the Southern Coast Riders M/A put together a benefit to fulfill a dream of Cheryls.

That dream was a bike run to collect sleeping bags for the homeless. Cheryl was taken away from us at an early age in 2003.

Her motorcycle which has not been ridden in over seven years was brought along in a trailer so she could be with us in our heart. A trailer load of sleeping bags were delivered to Feed My Sheep in Gulfport.

Rides were put together at three different locations to meet at the Flyin J on Canal Rd.

The clouds were dark but still around 50 riders showed up for the benefit. The Southern

Coast Riders put together a great ride and all riders were invited to their clubhouse for food after the ride.

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JANDY'S 8TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

11/13/10 Always a rockin party at Jandy Imports in Slidell. Every year in November you can

count on one super party. This is Jan and Andy's way to thank everyone for another good year. I can't guess how many bikes there were but I know several hundred while I was there.

The crowd seems to get larger every year. Parking was crowded but there were guys out

working to help you find a spot. Everyone was able to park really close. There was free draft

beer, vendors, anniversary specials, good people and the band Redline was playing. All at

what I call an excellent price....free. Yeah Jandy's supplied it all. The store was packed as

Andy and staff were busy with sells and sewing patches. The sewing machine was whining non-stop. Too bad they were too busy to enjoy their own party. Stop by and tell them it was great. The parking lot was full of people enjoying the warm weather, music, food, beer and just a

great time talking to others. This is definitely the way to spend a Saturday.

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MARDI GRAS POKER RUN

11/13/10 Meet up was at Clyde's in BSL bright and early for a good ride with 7 stops. The day

was warming up early. This was great for me because I love riding in short sleeves. Seems as if we only have a few of these short sleeve days left. Most of the bunch rode together making the

the stops together. Me and a couple friends chose to start at C&R's and didn't run in to the rest of the bunch till we got to SawdOff's next to M&F's Cycles in Kiln. And surprise M&F's has doubled the size of their store. They are having a grand opening party on Nov. 20th along with an opening party for the new owners of SawdOff's. The rest of the stops were Froggy Bears, Riverview, The Shed and Grog's. Then

back to C&R's for the drawings, best hand and plenty of free food. Sure wish I could get the recipe for that dirty rice. It really had a unique

taste. There was way too much food there. This was a fun run for the bikers so everyone who

won money was able to keep it. Usually in a benefit bikers will donate the money back to the cause. All in all it was a great day for a ride and

everyone had a great time. It's hard to imagine still having great riding weather this late in the year.

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FAT BOYZ CYCLES BENEFIT BIKE SHOW

11/7/10 Fat Boyz Cycles in Picayune pulled off another good benefit at the Picayune Street

Fair. This years benefit was to help Mike Hart with a lung and heart transplant. I was able to

to meet Mike as he walked around thanking people for their support. This man has a really positive attitude and faith that everything will turn out good. Still I ask for your prayers for him. The day was beautiful and a lot of really nice bikes turned out for the benefit. The awards

were given out along with a 50/50 raffle and

and a whole lots of door prizes. This was a good benefit for a good cause. Thanks to Fat Boyz

Cycles for having the heart to help a brother in need.

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AMERICAN IRON POKER RUN

11/6/10 I caught up with this run at Tabby Cat's in
Pearl River pulling my bike in a trailer. Some

times a Bigdog just won't bark. So now on a beautiful day I have to watch everyone else have a nice ride. So I'm off to the next stop at Crazy Al's watching everyone else have a beautiful day. My check engine light is on in my van and the brakes don't feel too good. As I started out to the third stop at C&R's, my brain

started to function, telling my to stop by the house and pick up the trusty Harley. Oh hell yes! Now this morning my life has gone from bad to worse to better. Matter fact I'm kinda feelin good by now. It's amazing how a little wind and a cold

beer can blow everything slam out of your mind. So now I'm at C&R's on my trusty Harley (I keep saying trusty because it is 5 years old and has never let me down). More cold beer and they had red beans and rice with some good hunks of sausage. Now I'm feelin real good. This was the last stop on the run before heading to the GGMC clubhouse for the party. But it was a long ride so luckily the Broke Spoke was on the way. In and out for a cold one, then on to the clubhouse for the feast and what a feast it was.

Soon as I arrived I noticed my old friend Arnold Ziffel lying on the table stuffed slam full of jambalaya. They had bean salad, potato salad, baked beans and hell, I don't remember what all they had. Remember I went from being one pissed off son of a gun to feeling really good by now. But I remember they had a lot of deserts too. The band was playing and everyone was having a great time (especially me). They had plenty of cold beer. Did I mention I felt kinda good by now? Okay so this band playing called

Autumn Rise-n was really crankin out the tunes. Listening to them was almost as good as...........well maybe not. But they were a great band. They had the crowd movin. There was a

good fire going in the yard as the temp. started to drop. But the party went on. Raffles were drawn and prizes were awarded for the best poker hands. Everyone was still partying but I

needed to hit the road for that chilly ride to the house. American Iron and the GGMC did another great job making everyone have a good time.

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MEET AT THE CREEK

11/5/10 The nights were cold but the action was hot. The

crowd was not as big as usual but the die hards who showed up were there to party. The

cold temperatures didn't effect these party animals. There were plenty of beverages to

warm the body. Some of the beverages I was forced to drink burned all the way down. Every one was dancing enough to peel out of the jackets some even a little further. The bon fires

were roaring. Even had a big one going within 30 feet of the stage. The contests and the bike

games went on as planned. Just like a normal rally. But as far as the party, this small crowd was the best of the best.

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MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH

11/10 Tell a vet thanks for their service to our Country.

It is the veteran, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the veteran, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the veteran, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the veteran, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.
It is the veteran, who salutes the Flag, who serves under the Flag,
whose coffin is draped by the Flag. God bless all of our military.

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PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS

11/3/10 Have you ever seen a funeral pass with motorcycles escorting, flying American flags along with yellow and blue flags? These yellow and blue flags represent the Patriot Guard Riders. I am a proud member of the PGR. We are a group of voluntary riders

who's main purpose is to escort and assist in military funerals when we are invited. When invited we assist in veteran's, active military and KIA funerals. It doesn't matter what you ride, if you are a vet, if you are active military or even if you never served. All that is required is that you show honor and respect for those that are defending our Country.

Our main duties are standing a flag line both at the funeral home and the cemetery, escorting the funeral and forming a shield around the

the families to shield them from any uninvited guests (uglies as we call them). We do this out of total respect for the soldiers that protect our Country and the veterans that we owe our Freedom to. Our most dreaded email from the State Captian is hearing of a soldier killed in action and meeting the KIA at the airport.

We have been treated with total respect and appreciation by the families, but we do this to honor and respect the soldiers along with their families. When you're standing the flag line, you have plenty of time to think how unfair that this young soldier who gave their life for our freedom will not have a chance to enjoy the very freedom they fought for. Or if it was a vet how some came back to protesters blaming them for the war, or others coming back crippled or with disabilities and having a hard life. All for our

freedom. I'll tell you from experience, hearing taps on the bugle, the salute, the folding of the flag and the presentation of the flag to the family can make the biggest man cry. But all missions are not sad ones. We are also invited to armory dedications, to ride in parades and best of all escorting soldiers returning home from duty. If you may be interested in joining the PGR you can go to the website at www.pgrofms.org to find out more.

MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH

11/1/10 It has come to my attention thru the Patriot Guard Riders that in the past couple weeks five of our young soldiers from Ms. and La. have been KILLED IN ACTION. One from Waynesboro, Ms., one from Hernando, Ms., one from Tunica, Ms., one from Slidell, La. and one from Lafayette, La. Whether you believe in the war or not makes no difference to me. Just realize that our military might is the only reason we are still a free country. These young men gave their lives to make sure I have the freedom to jump on my Harley and ride. Please Support Our Troops.

NOTICE
For the month of Nov. Harley Davidson will be sponsoring
"MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH"
Please help out by donating items for care packages
being put together by Ms. Gulf Coast Harley Davidson
In Hancock County for your convenience,
M & F's Cycles on Hwy 90 in Kiln, Ms. will be collecting
items at their store to deliver to Ms. Gulf Coast H-D
Please stop by their store and donate
A ride is being planned to escort the delivery
I will post the details at a later date Also for your convenience C & R's on Coleman Ave in Waveland will be collecting items to deliver for the ride.

PLEASE SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION TO OUR MILITARY BY DONATING ITEMS FROM LIST BELOW

Thanks
Ronnie Hudson
Ronzrides.us



Mississippi Coast Harley Davidson will be collecting items to put together care packages to send to our troops overseas. Collections will begin November 1, 2010 and the deadline will be November 20th. They need to be shipped by November 29, 2010.
Items needed for the Care Packages:
Silly string
Dice
AA batteries
Books
Movies
Febreeze
Disposable cameras
Koozies
Chap Stick
Crossword/Word search books
Tooth brushes
Notebooks
Envelopes
Hackey Sacks
Sunscreen
iTune Gift Cards
Prepaid International Phone Cards
Mini footballs
Frisbees
Suntan lotion
Snacks (nuts, chips, trail mix, beef jerky, hard candy, energy bars, sunflower seeds.)
NO CHOCOLATE AND NO PORK
Please help if you can!!!!

Notice forwarded by:
Nancy Grimes
Ministry Team Leader
Iron Horse Community Church

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HALLOWEEN FOR HEROS RIDE

10/30/10 What a ride. What a fun ride. 100% of the proceeds go to buying Christmas cards for every Veteran in the four VA homes across Ms. These cards will be delivered by the Patriot Guard Riders on their annual Christmas visits to the homes. This is a great way to show the Vets that we still appreciate their service in preserving our freedom. The ride started at the VFW in Long

Beach. There were around 20 bikes with PGR members and some BON friends to make the

ride. With a few brief instructions we were ready to rumble down to the beach and East on hwy

90 to I-110. The weather was great for riding and the beach scenery was beautiful. We

proceeded up I-10 and disappeared into the country. I love these rides in the country on roads I've never ridden. Our road captain, White Rose as she is known on BON did a pre-trip the day before with her dad to make sure all the

roads were safe. The safety trip allowed us to travel at a pretty good speed thru the winding country roads and up into the Desoto Nat'l. Forest. I am guessing we made about 175 miles and road about 3 to 4 hours only making one stop for gas. The gas station was way out in the country. We were the hi-lite of the day at this

store, but everyone was friendly. I just can't describe the thrill for me on this ride with the small towns, winding roads, fields with old barns, old houses, forests etc. I was supposed to cut out early to catch part of the BSL Fall Fest but was just having too much fun on the ride. I'll take a ride like this to a poker run any day. I forgot to mention the VFW fed all riders who wanted it breakfast and lunch. Again I really enjoyed this ride for a great cause. The ride to the VA homes and Christmas cards for all vets is a great event sponsored by the Patriot Guard Riders with their HOTH (Help on the Homefront) group. Our Country is in sad shape right now. If you want to know how to straighten our Country out, I challenge you to take a Christmas visit to a VA home and just ask one of our vets who fought for our freedom. In return for their advice you will be showing them that they did make a difference to true Americans. I can't express how much that means to them, for Americans to let them know we appreciate the sacrifices they made for our freedom.

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RUMBLE ON THE GULF GRAND FINALE

10/28/10 This was the night everyone was waiting on. ROTG's big Black and Gold Harley giveaway.

And no Ladyrider didn't go with the bike. Dammit! The crowd was large with around 200

bikes. Everywhere I went, all I heard was people saying what they were going to do when they won the bike. This is a custom built Night Train Soft Tail with a black and gold Saints custom paint job. It toured the Superdome during

Saints games in the 2007 season. And no, BikeGoddess doesn't go with the bike either. Double Dammit! By 9pm when the drawing started the whole Casino was disrupted by around 300 bikers crowding around the bike with high hopes to win. Then the winner....Joseph Shubert. Who is that? Then he stepped forward. I do know him...it's Claud "the alligator man" as I always called him because he used to catch nuisance alligators for the Game

and Fish. Oh no, you mean this modern day Crocodile Dundee is going to ride off on MY bike? Well at least I did get to go back today and help Claud hall it to his house. And while he was taking care of the paper work, I got to ride it first. A whole hundred feet to the trailer. It's only got 32 miles on the speedometer so while he is deciding whether to keep it or sell it he wants to keep the mileage there.They said it hadn't been cranked in several months but it fired right up and smooth. Where is the popping like mine does? The exhaust seemed to be modified so in the parking garage the sound was sweet. I popped it in gear, no it smoothly slid in gear. Where was that "harley" clank that I'm used too. Then to the trailer. I sure wish I could have at least taken it out the front door just to see if I could ride it down the upside of the moving stairs. Well, that's the end of the season for ROTG at the Silver Slipper. It was a great and fun year. But it's not really over! The Pier House south of I-10 at the Diamondhead exit will be picking it up with Rumble at the Pier starting Nov. 4th.

Don't confuse the Pier House with the old Yacht Club. You don't have to own a Yacht or a membership to wine and dine here. Yet you can still enjoy the water front view and private parking for bikes and classic cars with $2 longnecks and music on bikenite. Guess we'll see who the real bikers are this Winter. Hope to see you there.

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CHARITY PUB CRAWL

10/23/10 The Confederados RA and Teazers Lounge hosted this poker run to benefit the Asgard MC Christmas toy run. Teazers Lounge

kicked the run off with $1.50 Bloody Marys and breakfast for a small donation. My next stop was the Disabled American Veterans building in

Gulfport. I had never visited this building before and was impressed with the friendliness of the people. They had $1.50 beer and free hotdogs for the bikers. My next stop was Alibi Lounge in

Long Beach. The cool weather made for a great ride. Next stops were the Broke Spoke and then Froggy Bears in Kiln. What made the run so fun

was the weather being so nice that you could hang out inside or out. Then a little scenic ride down the beach and back up to Teazers. At Teazers, Stuart Lee Douglas was busy playing and singing his Southern Rock in the back yard

If you have never been to Teazers, you need to go check out their fenced in back yard with a full bar and a band stage. They have a Bike Day on Sundays with food and drink specials. With the

the economy in such bad shape, I think they did the right thing by setting poker hands at only $10. Some people are having to watch their nickels these days but most can afford $10. And if you did have extra cash and wanted to take the chance on raffles or a 50/50, that was available. Also for a $5 donation, you could get a fried fish plate with plenty on it. You can't eat that cheap anywhere these days. As usual the Confederados put a lot of work into this benefit. Everything was well organized and turned out to be a really fun day.

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SHINE IN LAPINE

10/15/10 Although this is not a brand new rally, (it's been going on a couple years) it is new to me.

I love going to rallies that I've never been to before. The price was right for me. Only $25 for the weekend with discounts for registering early, discounts for vets and discounts for active military. I think it is great for them to recognize our military. Also primitive camping was free and golf carts were free. This rally, I call small because of the low number of people compared to what I am used to, but that is what made it special. Everyone was so damn friendly. When I

entered the gate, I was given directions for the best way to pick a spot. Then they came by and checked to make sure I was satisfied with the spot. Next, my UTV would not start. After a few minutes of trying, a guy came over to help. After determining it was not getting fire another guy came over and offered a plug wrench. Sure nuff the plug was bad and I had no spare. So the guy with the wrench offered a spare he had. I didn't even know these guys but otherwise I would have been walking the whole weekend. Thanks a million guys. Next a guy on a backhoe came around and offered to dig us a firepit. How much I asked? It was free! Just trying to keep

everyone safe from the fire spreading. Then I hear on the loud speaker that they are making continuous beverage runs to the local store for our safety and convenience. I haven't ever seen services like this at a bike rally. There were bike

games during the day and several vendors with a good variety to keep you busy. There were

enough games to last all afternoon till the band started. The weather was warm during the day but the temps dropped to the 40's during the night. That is what made the fire pits so popular.

There were adult contests and a couple of good bands at night. Also a visit from David Santos and Jim Beam both nights. Free shots for everyone. By the way, Connie if you're reading this, I took a shot for the team but I'm sure David won. My beard is still stiff. For those who are wondering, that is a old Thunder Roads drinking rivalry. With the temps in the 40's there is one thing I didn't understand....how can people walk around in the cold at night with the intention of getting an all over tan? Must have been the Jim Beam. Overall this was a fun rally and will be on my list for the Spring. And one last note. I have seen many Lone Wolf patches but at this rally I think I got to meet the real "Lone Wolf".

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CRUISIN THE COAST

10/6/10 Besides being the best party on the Ms. Gulf Coast, Cruisin the Coast is a great boost to the economy. Thousands of classic and muscle cars in town to cruise Hwy 90 from one end of Ms. to the other with a beautiful view of the beach most of the way. Tens of thousands of people here to enjoy the cars

the scenery and the party. This year there were four main stages scattered across the Ms. coast

with four bands playing each day. What a party! Cruise from one end of the coast to the other and stop anywhere to enjoy the music and cars.

Since I live in Bay St. Louis, I spent most of my time in Old Town at Beach Road and Main

Street. There you had a big stage with three days of continuous bands, all the cruisers coming thru for their stamp, vendors, classic cars parked every where for viewing and thousands of people. People brought their lawn

and parked them by their cars just to enjoy conversations with interested classic car fans. All the shops were open so people had plenty to do. At night there was plenty of casino entertainment. The Silver Slipper had bands for three nights with a huge crowd on Thursday

night for Rumble on the Gulf. There was a record crowd with over 250 bikes and at least

100 classic and muscle cars. It was a beautiful site at sunset with all the cars, bikes and the view of the beach and water. Inside the crowd was rocking to the old time rock n roll of Na Na Sha at the Stage bar. There were also stages set up in D'Iberville, Gulfport and Ocean Springs where all the

cruisers drove thru to get their stamp. People lined the streets all day and night to see the cruisers. I don't have the number of registered cruisers but it was way up in the thousands. But the good thing was you did not have to be registered to mingle with the cruisers. However the registered cruisers get the benefit of cruising right thru the middle of the check points and special parking along with car shows and prizes. The crowd of spectators just gets bigger every year. Night time the main crowd is around Edgewater Mall on Hwy 90 sitting in lawn chairs and coaxing the cruisers to do burnouts. And

everyone not just cruisers were trying to get in on the action. Burnouts were the main entertainment at night. Everyone young and old

was getting in on the action. The law was out in force but it seemed this year, just out to keep everyone safe. I saw several stopped and warned but not like the tickets in the years before. Maybe the law has realized that a crowd this size can actually have a good time and be safe all at the same time. The weather was perfect the whole week and I'd have to say this was the best Cruisin ever.

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