Thunder Roads Virginia Magazine - December 2011

1920 Centerville Turnpike, Suite 117-270 Virginia Beach, VA 23464

Office phone: (757) 831-2264 Email:[email protected]

Website: www.thunderroads-virginia.com

OWNER / EDITOR SALES:

Kelly Collins

Special Thanks to: Warren Ells - our wonderfully talented layout guy who designs our pages & puts all the pieces together for us each month, Rod - for his killer ad designs & Bill of WCFStudios.com, our webmaster, who keeps our site rockin’ on the web. Also many thanks to all of our readers, advertisers & those of you out there that spread the word or pass a magazine to a friend who’s never heard of us before - You ALL are what keeps the Thunder rolling!

THUNDER ROADS VIRGINIA’s “ROAD CREW”

SALES CREWFor information about advertising in Thunder Roads Virginia,

visit the Advertising page of our website www.thunderroads-virginia.com or contact any of our

Sales Crew listed below. Covering the state of Virginia

Webmaster

William C. Frohmiller [email protected].

Layout & DesignWarren Ells

Art Director, Thunder Publishing

Rodrigo “Rod” Lobo Guerrero Ad Designer

On Eagles Wings

Preacher Rick Saunders

Pastor Tammy Hayes

Preacher Gordon Bacon

William Day “Wild Bill” (804) 814-8498

[email protected] (Richmond & surrounding areas)

Steve [email protected]

(757) 727-3435(Eastern VA including the Peninsulas

& Mobile Statewide)

Chad Quinn (540) 493-0813

[email protected] (Southern & Western Virginia)

Susan [email protected]

(804) 253-4563(Southern Virginia & Mobile Statewide)

Other Contributing Writers/PhotographersBeth Albert, Bo Albert, Ricky Derby

Chris “Coyote Killer” Holden, Dave Sutton, Kelly CollinsTim Wilmoth, William “Wild Bill” Day

* All articles & pictures within Thunder Roads Virginia are contributed by our Crew, Thunder Roads national network resources, freelance

writers/photographers & our wonderful readers.

MemberOf

Sport Bike Community Correspondent:Curtis “Stitch” Matthews

NATIONAL FOUNDERSToni McCoy Shearon & Brian Shearon

1528 Matlock DriveChapmansboro, TN 37035

Corporate Office: 615-792-0040 Fax: 615-792-7580

e-mail: [email protected]

Season’s Greetings to all of our friends & fellow riders! It’s been another incredible year here at Thunder Roads with so many great rides & events, seeing old friends & meeting many new ones too. As we bring 2011 to a close, we’d like to say a huge THANK YOU to all the good people that make this magazine possible every month. First of all, we’d like to thank all of our wonderful advertisers, who place ads with us. Their advertising dollars are what pays for the entire production, printing & shipping of Thunder Roads so that we can get it out there for our readers. Next, we’d like to thank our readers, for without you, we’d have no one here to see us. Whether you pick up a print copy or reader our magazine online, we really appreciate you being here with us. Don’t hesitate to send in your pictures for our Hot Shots, Hot Plates, Biker Pals or just about anything you’d like to share. Riding stories & pictures are always welcomed too.

This year has been truly amazing & we have you all to thank for helping to keep Thunder Roads Virginia alive & well. We’ve got a lot of cool stuff planned for the new year so please be sure to look for our January 2012 New Year’s edition with redesigned pages & fresh, fun ideas to start your new year off right. We’ll be hitting year #10 …woo hoo! Stay safe wherever you go to & from throughout the holidays & please drink responsibly so you can enjoy another great year coming up with us. Until we meet again next year…..May Peace, Love & Happiness be in all your days.

Happy Trails……

Kelly

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF ITS CONTENT MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION. PUBLISHER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY AND IS NOT TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR ERRORS BEYOND THE COST OF THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY THE ER-ROR, SLANDER OF ANY GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL, FAILURE TO PRODUCE ANY ISSUE AS SCHEDULED DUE TO REASONS BEYOND OUR CONTROL, ANY AND ALL SUITS FOR LI-ABLE, PLAGIARISM, COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A PER-SON’S NAME OR PHOTOGRAPH. OPINIONS AND CLAIMS MADE BY ADVERTISERS AND AUTHORS ARE THEIR OWN, AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE POLICY OF THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE OR THUNDER PUBLISHING. PUBLISHER DOES NOT PRO-MOTE THE ABUSE OF ALCOHOL OR OTHER DRUGS.

Calendar Of Events............................................4Proud To Be An American..............................9Hot Shots..............................................................12Clubs & Organizations..................................23The Joker’s Wild..............................................28Biker Friendly Directory..............................32NCOM News Bytes..........................................36On Eagle’s Wings.............................................39Advertisers Index..........................................44

CONTENTS EDITOR’S LETTEROn The Cover

Timonium Motorcycle ShowFebruary 10-12, 2012

Merry Christmas

Dec 3rdChilly Willys Toy Run For Toys For Tots – Virginia Beach, VA 2, 3 or 4 wheels welcomed! Toy Run riders & vehicles will escort Toys For Tots Collection truck to various toy collection locations & assist in loading the truck at each stop. Start & end at Grumpy’s Bar & Grill, 995 Kempsville Rd., in Providence Square Shopping Center, Virginia Beach, VA. Registration will be from 9:45 to 10:45 am.. Breakfast goodies, donuts, coffee & hot chocolate will be provided. Run leaves at 11am to head to 1st pick-up location. After rounds are complete, caravan will go back to Grumpy’s to warm up with giveaways, door prizes & 50/50 & more. Rain date Sat. Dec 10th . Sponsored by Southside Harley-Davidson, Biker’s Depot, Oceana Cycles, Trinity Tattoo & Grumpy’s Bar & Grill. For further info contact [email protected] or call (757) 474-0880. DRESS WARM!!!

Dec 4th7th Annual Big Daddy Leather Toy Run – Fredericksburg, VA The BDL Toy Run benefits the children of Alice C. Tyler Village of Childhelp. Registration fee is a unwrapped toy for a child 5 to 14 years of age. Anyone wanted to help fill list for a individual child, from the Village, please contact BDL (540)899-0048. Registration and Meet & Greet with Michelle Smith and Santa starts at 10am at BDL 1900 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. 12 noon is police escort to American Legion Post #320 for lunch. Michelle Smith will lead the ride. After lunch Kelly Terranova will perform a comedy show. Will have door prizes and a drawing for a Brand New Suzuki KingQuad 500. For more information contact BDL at

540-899-0048 or Wade at 540-399-5076. Location: BDL 1900 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Dec 10thWreaths Across America Ride 2011 Info about Wreaths Across America project and specific Ride details for the following Virginia locations of Leesburg, Culpeper, Alexandria, Triangle, Winchester, Richmond, Amelia, Sandston, Yorktown, Mechanicsville, Suffolk, Hampton, Hopewell. Powell Valley Veteran’s Memorial Gardens, Staunton, Lynchburg, Danville, Arlington, & Scottsville, can be found at http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/Locations/Virginia

Dec 10thOceana Cycles Christmas Open House – Virginia Beach, VASaturday Dec 10th, 12pm to 4pm. Specials/Refreshments. @ Oceana Cycles, 609 Jack Rabbit Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, (757) 437-0014. www.oceanacycles.com

Dec 11thPictures with Santa – Virginia Beach, VAWhether you were naughty or nice this year - get your picture taken with Santa! We provide the hot cocoa, cider and cookies. You tell Santa what you want this year. (Actual kids are welcome, too!) $10 donation, money raised will go to Vetshouse, Inc. Sunday 12/11/11 from 1pm to 4pm at The Biker’s Depot, 612 Nevan Road, Suite 108, Virginia Beach, 23451. Call 962-0159 or email [email protected] for more info.

Dec 25thChristmas

2012

Jan 1st, 20121st Ride of the Year – Virginia Beach, VAOceana Cycles 1st Ride of the Year. Meet at the Shop 11am. 609 Jack Rabbit Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, (757) 437-0014. www.oceanacycles.com

Jan 15th & 16th, 2012MOTORCYCLE LOBBY DAY – Richmond, VAThe Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists and Tom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law group would like to invite all interested motorcyclists to attend this year’s Motorcycle Lobby Day. On Sunday January 15th , from 12:00 pm until we get through, Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists lobbyists will lead an informational meeting at the Holiday Inn Airport at 445 International Center Dr., Sandston, VA 23150 to discuss this year’s legislation effecting motorcyclists. Later that evening attendees will enjoy a free homemade BBQ dinner made by

SAVE YOUR DATE!!! IS YOUR EVENT IN OUR CALENDAR??? If not, submit it on the Events page of our website www.thunderroads-virginia by the 15th of the month so it will make it into the next issue. We need events submitted as far in advance as possible so that others can be respectful of the date that you’ve chosen for yours.

ONGOING EVENTS

BIKER CHURCH SERVICES

Biker Church Service Mechanicsville, MD Rushing Wind Ministry, 29025 Three Notch Rd., Mechanicsville, MD 20659, Gordon Bacon, Preacher, 240-577-0605, [email protected]. Sunday service 10am -10:30am gathering and fellowship with coffee and snacks. Wednesday Bible study 7pm-8:30. Friday night bike night 6:30pm-10pm. Services are held every Sunday; Bible Study held every Wednesday; Bike Night ever Friday Night.

Liberty Biker Church & Blessing of the Bikes Isle of Wight County, VA Our focus is sharing the Word of God with the motorcycle community, without all the preconceived ideas that you have to dress a certain way or look like everyone else. For anyone who thinks you have to fit in or be like everyone else, guess what: People can be different. And so is Liberty Biker Church. Hang-around (social) time: 10 a.m. with free donuts and coffee. Worship service: 11 a.m. with Christian rock band Stronghold providing the church music. Our address is 17011 Courthouse Hwy, Isle of Wight County, VA, contact is Pastor Jim Manner, (757) 376-3612 –We hold services every Sunday & we hold a Blessing of the Bikes the 1st Sunday of each month.

Tidewater Motorcycles Chili Dog Social EVERY TUESDAY Free Chili Dog’s every Tuesday at Tidewater Motorcycles. 4324 Godwin Blvd, Suffolk, VA 23434. visit www.tidewatermotorcycles.net for more info.

THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE 4

Stewart Newton and provided by several Virginia motorcycle rights organizations including ABATE of Virginia and the Virginia Bikers Association. Monday January 16th .. This is a holiday so many people are off. That morning Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists lobbyists, as well as members of other state motorcycle rights organizations, independent motorcyclists and any other interested people will go to the Virginia General assembly to discuss upcoming legislation that effect motorcyclists in Virginia with their Delegates and Senators. We leave the Holiday Inn at 8:00 am sharp for our annual trip to the Capitol. After lobbying our legislators, we will attend the opening of the House of Delegates daily session and be recognized from the floor. Afterwards, Tom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law Group takes everyone to Penny Lane Pub for lunch as a thank you for coming to support Virginia Motorcyclists. I encourage everyone who can to join us. It is a lot of fun, it is educational, and most importantly it shows the legislators that motorcyclists are a significant and active section of the electorate. For more information you can call VCOM at (800) 437-9434. For Room Reservations call (804) 236-1111 and ask for the VCOM rate.

Jan 28th, 2012Fundraiser for Fellow Rider – Surry, VAFundraiser for Darla Atwood on January 28, 2012 at the Colonial Farmhouse Restaurant, 612 Colonial Trl E. Surry, Va 23883. On July 9, 2011. Knights of Life EMS motorcycle club was on a club ride on the Nickel and Dime tour, Darla was involved in a terrible accident which claimed her right leg. She is the primary breadwinner for her home and will have many expenses as she adjusts to her new life. Please join us for fun, food, fellowship and a very worthy cause. The support from everyone has already helped her spiritually, we need your help in doing the same financially. There will also be a 50/50, door prizes and raffle prizes. January 28, 2012, Colonial Farmhouse Restaurant, 612 Colonial Tril E. Surry, Va Time: 4pm - 11pm, RSVP 804-308-3719, or [email protected] for more information. $50 donation includes dinner and dessert.

Feb 10th – 12thTimonium Motorcycle Show – 10th AnniversaryTimonium, MD - Every foreign and domestic motorcycle manufacturer available in USA on display…huge custom and antique bike show…100’s of exhibits covering everything in motorcycling. Attendees will be able to meet master bike builder, Ron Finch who is nationally known for his extreme metal fabrication. Ron received the “Biker Blacksmith” award on the Biker Build-Off Finale in Las Vegas. Michele Smith, a nationally recognized motorcycle television personality, will also be at the show throughout the three days. See the FeatherFree Zone Bike and the U.S. Biker Law (911 Tribute) Bike that were designed and built by Paul Teutul, Sr. & his

Orange County Chopper Crew. New this year, a huge Swap Meet and Café Racer feature section will fill a second large exhibit hall next to the main show facility. The show is held at the Maryland State Fairgrounds – Timonium, Maryland – Opens 10AM each day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 10-12, 2012. Admission for Adults: $15.00, Children 10-15 years $5.00 and under 10 are free with paying adult. Go to www.cycleshow.net to print-out $5.00 off admission discount coupons, good on adult admission only. For more info. call, 410-561-7323, visit www.cycleshow.net or email [email protected].

Mar 2nd & 3rd, 2012Myrtle Beach Bike Week West™ - Myrtle Beach, SCFlorence Civic Center, 330 W. Radio Road, Florence SC. 29501. Myrtle Beach Bike Week West™ offers everything from Vintage Motorcycle Displays, Drag Bike Displays, Chopper Road Shows Ride In Bike Show, Live Entertainment with Legends of Bike Week, Stunt Riders, Custom Builders, Vendors Mall, plus much more. Vendors, Bands, or General Info. Contact Sonny @ 336-643-1367 or cell is 336-580-1638. www.myrtlebeachbikeweekwest.com

Sept 16, 2012Poker Run to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association – Palmyra, VA Ride to Remember Poker Run to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association of Central and Western Virginia on Sunday, September 16, 2012 to begin and end at Cuppa Joe Coffeehouse on Rte. 15, just south of Palmyra, Virginia. $20 per driver, $10 per passenger and $10.00 for extra poker hand. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. Last bike out at 10:30 a.m. Prize for best poker hand, door prize and 50/50 drawing. Contacts: Barry Boothe, Ph. (434)842-6392, email: [email protected] or Alex and Sue VonDerBecke, Ph. (434)842-2200, Email: [email protected]

SAVE YOUR DATE!!! IS YOUR EVENT IN OUR CALENDAR??? If not, submit it on the Events page of our website www.thunderroads-virginia by the 15th of the month so it will make it into the next issue. We need events submitted as far in advance as possible so that others can be respectful of the date that you’ve chosen for yours.



AN AMERICANProud To Be

Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman, Morrill Worcester, in 1992.

Our mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, is carried out in part by coordinating wreath laying ceremonies on the second Saturday of December at Arlington, as well as veter-ans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. We also organize a week of events including international veteran’s tributes, ceremonies at State Houses and a week-long “Veteran’s Parade” between Maine and Virginia where we stop along the way to spread our message about the importance of remembering our fallen he-roes, honoring those who serve, and teaching our children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedoms.

This week of events is made possible by thousands of volunteers who organize local ceremonies, raise funds to sponsor wreaths, and participate in the events. We receive no government funding. The cost of our programs is paid by individual wreaths sponsors, corporate donors and volunteer truckers.

We also coordinate veteran services and recognition through a variety of programs, and provide schools with teaching aides for projects throughout the year. Our mission is simple. Remember. Honor. Teach. We have several programs to help advance this mission:

Remember. Wreaths Across America and the Arlington Project. This year’s National Remembrance Ceremony at Arlington will take place on Saturday, December 10, 2011. The parade of trucks, friends, and escorts from Maine to Arlington begins Sunday, December 6, 2011. Logistical support for wreath laying and other ceremonies at cemeteries and memori-als in all 50 states and beyond.

Special memorials for Pearl Harbor, Bunker Hill, Charleston Naval Shipyard, and a wreath for every victim s of 9-11 in New York City, the Pentagon, and Shanksville.

HART Ceremony (Honoring Allies and Remembering Together) to honor veterans of our nation’s allies in a ceremony on the Ferry Point bridge between Calais, Maine and St. Ste-phen, New Brunswick.

Wreaths Across America State House Ceremonies in all 50 states.Honor. Thanks A Million – A campaign we wage for Veteran Appreciation Month, we

circulate thank you cards to be presented by individuals all over the country to one million veterans to thank them for their service.

Public outreach through Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day programs, public service announcements, press coverage, and our web site. A link on our web site helps create legacy books to tell the stories of veterans in your community or family.

Teach. •We involve schools, 4H, scouts and other youth groups in all our efforts. •Downloadable curriculum and coloring book to help school children appreciate the roles our veterans played in preserving

their freedoms. They are designed to encourage the direct involvement of local veterans.Children are encouraged to create multi-media legacy books using the link on our web site, to tell the story of a family or

community member’s service to their country.To locate your local Wreaths Across America rides & ceremonies visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

Thanks A Million A simple thank you can speak volumes. Our goal is to thank one million veterans and active duty personnel during Military Appreciation Month by distributing our thank you cards, which you can per-sonalize. We will send you FREE thank you cards you can present to any veteran you know, meet, or see to thank them for their service. We reached our goal to have 1 million cards distributed in our first year of this campaign.


Food for thoughtChristmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods --merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It’s time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper? Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement. Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates. Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course. There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint.

Remember, folks this isn’t about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open. How many people couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy? Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running. OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes. Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants, bar and grills or taverns and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre. Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip. You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. Buy your loved ones a massage or gift certificate for a massage (we know how stressful the holidays can be). And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition. Please pass info this to everyone you know -- post it to discussion groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn’t that what Christmas is about?

Support Your Local Businesses

Support YourLocal Businesses

This Christmas


Meet Bill Armstrong. His bike is a 2011 Victory Vision Touring model made in Spearfish, South Dakota. The 106 cubic inch V-Twin has a six speed transmission, ABS brakes, heated grips and seat, and a adjustable height windshield. Bill says he has owned several Harley models and this bike is by far the favorite bike he has owned. These bikes with their stream-lined design are a perfect touring bike for someone planning some long distance traveling. Two of the biggest and most respected names in the motorcycle business, Arlen Ness and S&S Performance, are making custom and performance parts for the various Victory models. Neither of these com-panies would risk putting the name and products on these bikes if they didn’t believe in them and their future in the motorcycle industry. Check one out today at your local Victory dealer and see for yourself why this is Bill’s favorite bike.

Bill’sVictory Vision



SEND US YOUR HOTS SHOTS!!! Email your pictures to: [email protected] .



Breaking Bread on America’s Back RoadsWith “Hairy Bikers” stars Bill Allen & Paul Patranella

By Shelly Horan, Editor TRM Texas

So… you want to do a biker foodie show where two guys ride around looking for the most unique food and experiences America has to offer. How do you cast that? You go to Texas and find Bill & Paul. Talk about the per-fect pair! One is a long-time certified Harley-Davidson mechanic with his own shop. The other is a classically trained chef. Both ride, love food, and have been great friends for more than 20 years. Being America’s best motor-cycle magazine, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring their story to our readers!

“You know you’re making waves when you appear on South Park,” says Paul Patranella as he entered the shop the place was buzzing as we arrived to do our interview with America’s “Hairy Bikers”. They were spotted on the popular adult cartoon, South Park just the night before. So we were whisked away to a computer station to watch the snippet a friend had recorded for them. The scene: a young kid sitting in front of the TV, his dad telling him to change the channel to something more educational. The TV switches to the History Channel showing previews of upcoming shows and highlighted were Bill and Paul of History Channel’s new show, “Hairy Bikers”. The comment from the car-toon kid… “eewww”.

If you’ve seen the show and enjoy Bill and Paul, know that they are the same in person as they are depicted on TV. These are not seasoned actors playing a part. These are down-home, Texas bikers from the Bryan/College Station area, doing what they love to do – ride and eat; meet and greet.

Bill owns Bill Allen Motorcycle Company located on College Avenue in Bryan; just a couple miles away from Texas A&M University (my alma mater). He is a Mechanics’ Institute Florida alum and specializes in servic-ing Harley-Davidson motorcycles. His

work ethic is obvious – he cares about the motorcycles he works on, cares about his customers, and is serious about doing “top notch work”. When asked about his shop, he told us about opening day – September 11, 2001. The only thing to be said… it was a rough opening day. He is an ad-mitted foodie, being the more adven-turous “taster” of the two.

Paul is a classically trained four-star French Chef, having attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Austin. He’ll tell you the truth… “The law was on my [his] heels” as he headed straight to Austin after gradu-ating from high school. His pedigree doesn’t stop there. After selling his own Bryan-based restaurant, he took a spin at the George Bush Presiden-tial Library as head of catering. Yes, he’s served the former president and Barbara Bush, considering it one of the highlights of his career. Today, he has a bait and tackle shop in Bryan, where much of his family works with him. He brings the show culinary takes on the food they are present-ed. He’ll be the first to tell you he’s learned a lot of cooking techniques from this new show that differ greatly from his culinary education; what Bill calls “backyard cooking”.

These two did not know each other growing up, but you’d swear they’ve known each other forever. Well… I’m guessing for some of our younger readers, 20+ years IS forever. When asked how they met, you can’t tell a better story! Bill is in a “punk rock” band, Street Pizza. He’s been in the band for more than 20 years (yes, there are still punk rock bands out there!). Neither man can tell you exactly their first meeting, but their first memory of being friends was at a party where Street Pizza was playing. During a break, they were out on the patio in line for beer. The place was on a lake and the water was lapping at the un-railed deck. Bill remembers Paul at the edge of the deck with a fresh beer. He heard a splash and turned to find Paul climbing back up on the deck with a cup full of lake water. Being the friend that he was, he got Paul a fresh beer and they kept on partying.

So where does the “biker” come in? They both grew up with bikes. Bill recounts memories of wanting a small bike back in the 70’s… back when “Boys Life” magazine had an ad for a 50cc Indian. The price was out of his reach, so he worked to save up enough money to buy a one-out 80cc

“Hairy Bikers” Crew Shot (left to right): Dan DeForest, Lee Ostner (former top fuel racer, friend of Bill’s – “driver”), Paul Patranella, Ryan Pavlesky, Mark St Marie, “Cool Daddy” Jack Sparks, Andy Lipson, Bill Allen, Amanda Tinpson, Byron Goggin, SuSu Hauser Credit: Bill Allen


Suzuki dirt bike and remembers rid-ing it until it had no compression and wouldn’t even start.

And eating? “Who doesn’t like food,” they both say. And they believe that sitting around a table full of good food is the great equalizer. They enjoy rid-ing the back roads of America, finding new folks to talk with and regional foods to try. Along the way, they make a lot of new friends… all through “breaking bread”.

The History Channel sets up the lo-cations to visit, but Bill and Paul aren’t always satisfied with sticking with the schedule. But that’s probably why the show works so well. The producers let Bill and Paul get away with some unscheduled stops and detours along the way; let their personalities shine. Quite often, they get off the bikes, walk up to strangers, and just start talking. In one episode, they park on the side of the road, walk out into a field to discuss local produce with the farmer picking lettuce. Not only do they learn some of the history of the area, they walk away with a Dutch oven (promising to return it), and some of the local produce they, them-selves, pick. Additionally, they’ve gone off with just the camera crew to do some local riding, such as the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina and the Natchez Trace in Mississippi. They’re not ones to miss out on great riding when it’s so close by. Their excuse, “we need riding shots, too!”

Walking away with “gifts” seems to be one of the unique aspects of the show, but there are so many more. Bill and Paul are introduced to local fare, using local ingredients. They learn about the area, how the dish they try developed, and how it relates directly to the history of the area. Additionally, the History Channel adds subtitles with related historical trivia. Not only

do the guys learn about the recipe, they help from the very beginning – harvesting and hunting for the ingre-dients all the way through to cooking and eating. Often, there’s a challenge thrown down between Paul and the cooks they’re visiting. Paul says, “It is always a tie.”

At many of the scheduled cooking stops, the guys use ingredients they received at previous stops along the way, like wheat they helped harvest at one place to brew a local beer at the next stop or fresh frog legs they use in a Redneck Gourmet cook off. Many times they try foods that are not in most folks’ daily diet, such as “Lamb Fries”, fried lamb testicles. Bill says, “Yummy, but they must be well done”. And we can’t forget about the nutria they hunted and cooked. If you’re not familiar with nutria – it’s a 20 pound Louisiana swamp rat. I won’t recount here Bill’s description of the aroma when cleaning that “varmint”; you don’t want to know. What they bring to the screen most of all is their unique and fun-loving personalities; they’re just plain fun to watch!

We asked about a favorite experi-ence from the show. They had a hard time choosing just one for many reasons. They feel all the folks they’ve met along the way are now friends and are a little uncomfortable choos-ing. We won’t say this is their favorite, but when asked to provide a sample of what they experienced, they offered the “Guerrilla Cuisine” episode. After learning a little more about it, I have to admit, I would love to try it out! Guer-rilla Cuisine, founded by Jimi Hatt, is a South Carolinian event company that specializes in exclusive one-of-a-kind “Low Country” food, music, and art events. Each event they plan features a different set of popular local chefs, local live music, and local talented

artists. An email goes out to over 2,000 members for an event. A limited number of tickets are sold on a first-come, first served basis; keeping the numbers at an “intimate” level (20-50 depending on location). Ticket holders are not told where the event will take place until 24 hours in advance. They receive an email with the address, di-rections, and more information about the event they’re going to partake in.

“Hairy Bikers” crashed one of their events in August. The featured chef was Nathan Thurston from Charles-ton’s The Ocean Room, along with four other chefs that created an ex-ceptional meal. The “old school menu” included Frogmore Stew, Geechie Boy Mills’ “Big Grits”, Keegan Filion Farms Heritage Pork Liver Mush, and Coco-nut Layer Cake. The event was held on the private Crosby Family dock. Paul added that when they ran out of crab for the stew, they simply went to the edge of the dock and caught more.

Both Bill and Paul enjoy learning new things, meeting new folks, and simply enjoying what the American way of life has to offer. This is prob-ably what the producer, Dawn Fitzger-ald, saw when she first met Bill. Ever wonder how to get your own reality TV show? You be the right person(s), in the right place, at the right time. Bill organized a ride to a Junk Gypsy show filming (coming soon to HGTV) by their friend Amie Sikes, Junk Gypsy founder. They know Amie from

“Hairy Bikers” Paul Patranella and Bill Allen Credit: Ryan Booth with History Channel

“Hairy Bikers” Bill Allen and Paul Patranella, with Owner/Editor of Thunder Roads Texas, Shelly Horan Credit: Bob Cooney with Thunder Roads Texas

Filming the “Fire” episode at the Ala-bama Icehouse in Houston, TXCredit: Bill Allen


her time attending nearby Texas A&M University. During the shoot, Bill left their mark on Dawn. It wasn’t too long after that initial meeting that Dawn contacted Aimie for Bill’s phone number. She had been looking for the right bikers to cast for the American version of “Hairy Bikers” and liked Bill’s style. She asked Bill if he cooked. He said “no, but my riding buddy Paul does.” He went on to explain Paul’s background and the ex-periences they shared on the road. The show is very popular in the UK. But simply bringing that show to the US wasn’t going to work. The basis of the show is all about exploring the best of what the country has to offer, with a historic twist. You can’t do that in America with British riders. It needed to be cast with “good ole boy” American bikers!

Dawn had considered others, but Bill and Paul seemed to be perfect. They helped by providing Dawn with some video of them interacting and riding. Additionally, the producer sent a film team down to do a test reel to make sure this was the team. The entire process took about a year before they hit the airwaves. The first episode aired October 14, 2011 and the entire series is 12 episodes long.

It isn’t all fun and games. Most people don’t realize how much work goes into filming a show. Bill, Paul, and the crew put in what Paul calls “doubles”; 14-16 hour days. There were 11 travelers, going a total of 8,000 miles, visiting 46 cities, in just 65 days. That’s two months away from home and family, working like crazy. To top that off… only about 26 seconds of every hour of film is used. Calculating that out for a 30 minute show, it comes to just shy of 24 hours of filming to get a single episode. When asked about recovering from this grueling schedule when they got home, Bill quickly answered with “Man, it was two weeks before I was right.”

I asked what their normal riding is like and Paul said, “riding from bar to bar.” Sounds like our kind of riders! But they also both add that there is nothing better than getting paid to go out and do something you love to do. Bill comments “I’m just taking it as it comes and feel blessed”. Paul added, “We get to do what we love most… ride, meet folks, and eat!” They have the time of their lives in the show, you can tell. They’ve gone shrimping, lobstering, crabbing, giggen frogs, boar hunting, and more. And you can go along with them. Visit HistoryChannel.com for more information on their show and tune in Fridays, 10:00 p.m./9:00 p.m. Central to watch.

Just a pretty shot, with Bill’s helmetCredit: Bill Allen

“Hairy Bikers” Bill Allen and Paul Patranella Credit: Bill Allen

Guerrilla Cuisine Table SettingCredit: Paul Allen

Guerrilla Cuisine Founder Jimi Hatt (front) and Chef Nathan Thurston (right)

“Hairy Bikers” Bill Allen and Paul Patranella Credit: Bob Cooney with Thunder Roads Texas


Chile-Lime & Shrimp Stuff AvocadoPaul Patranella – “Hairy Biker”8 avocado cut in 1/2 and scooped out1 pound shrimp peeled and cut up into small pieces2 shallots minced4 cloves garlic minced3 Serrano chilies minced1/2 stick butter1 bunch cilantro1 lime juiced1. Place butter in skillet over high heat and let brown slightly2. Quickly add shrimp, followed by the shallots and garlic, stir and toss quickly3. Cook 1 minute then add lime juice to de-glaze a little, add the chilies and toss4. Cook 1 minute and remove from heat, chill5. Add to avocado and add chopped cilantro, re-stuff avocado husks

A Biker BeverageBob Cooney, TRM Owner/CEOBud Light - bottle1. Chill2. Open3. Serve4. Dispose of bottle when done

Biker Road Kill ChiliShelly Horan, Owner/Editor TRM Texas2 pounds Ribeye or Sirloin Tip Roast2 can stewed tomatoes (chopped)1 can tomato paste1 can Rotel tomatoes (drained)1 green bell pepper1 red bell pepper1 red onionCumin (1/4 cup)Garlic (2 Tablespoons)Salt/pepper (2 teaspoons each)Tabasco – I like the Chipotle flavored (2 teaspoons)Cayenne pepper (1 teaspoon – makes “mild” – increase for more “alarms”)Shiner Bock Beer (half bottle of any dark beer)1. Cut meat into small, bite sized cubes. Brown (to a very medium rare) & drain.2. Meanwhile… start the stew base:a. Add all tomatoes and tomato pasteb. Chop veggies and addc. Add seasonings to taste. (The amounts in parenthesis are what I do.)3. Add meat to stew base4. Stew on low for 1 hour for eating that evening or stew for 30 minutes and place in fridge to reheat next day.This makes about 8-10 servings. Don’t forget the beer… it helps tenderize the beef.

Cajun Crabby Sticks!Crazy Al #55, TRM Feature Writer1. Take a head of celery and cut your sticks about three inches long. 2. Take Imitation crab leg meat (the long ones) and slice into strips.3. Place the crab meat into the celery sticks. 4. Take (whipped) cream cheese and spread it to cover the crab meat. 5. Take large olives and slice each in half. Place into the cream cheese. 6. Here is the magic! Take Cajun seasoning and sprinkle on top of each stick. The combination of these flavors is odd. But the outcome is awesome!

Shrimp Scampi with pasta (of your choice)Brian Scott, TRM Correspondent12 oz. to 16 oz. of thawed, raw, shelled, deveined shrimp2 tablespoons of olive oil2 teaspoons or minced garlic1/2 (4 oz.) stick of butter 8 oz. pasta of your choice 1. Boil enough water to cook your pasta (direction for this should be on the pasta box). Once the water is boiling, you can add your pasta but you don’t have to wait for that for you to continue with the shrimp.2. In a 10” or 12” round pan, add your butter, garlic and olive oil over a less than medium heat. Ensure these ingredients are well mixed and the butter gets fully melted.3. When the garlic in your pan starts turning brown, add your shrimp in a single layer. Fry the shrimp on each side about two to two and a half minutes then turn over and cook the other side. 4. When your pasta is done, drain (but don’t rinse) into a colander.5. While the pasta is still in the colander, add the shrimp to the top of the pasta then pour the remaining garlic, butter and olive oil mixture from the pan over the shrimp and pasta in the colander then mix. 6. Pour complete contents into a serving bowl and serve.Feeds at least two hungry people but as many as four. Total cooking time for me took under 15 minutes from start to serving.

Mississippi Sin DipJames Williams, TRM Sales16oz sour cream 8oz cream cheese, softened 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 cup chopped ham 1 green onion, chopped 1/4 tsp hot sauce 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Salt Pepper French bread loaf1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except French bread; stirring until well blended. 2. Cut a thin slice from top of bread loaf; set slice aside. Using a gentle saw-ing motion, cut vertically to, but not through, bottom of the loaf, 1/2 inch from the edge, to cut out center of bread. Lift out center of loaf. Fill hollowed bread loaf with the dip. Wrap loaf with foil. 3. Bake dip at 350° degrees for 1 hour. Serve with reserved bread cubes, crackers, or potato chips.

Ham and Potato BakeLaura Mae Benson, TRM Sales & CorrespondentCanned Ham (diced) Canned Diced Potatoes (drained) Onion Soup Mix Canned Carrots (drained) Chopped Green Peppers Garlic Salt and Pepper Grated Cheese1. Brush heavy foil with butter. 2. Add veggies and diced ham. 3. Seal the foil into pouch. 4. Put on hot coals, turning often. 5. Bake for about 25 minutes. 6. After opening pouch, sprinkle with cheese.This can be assembled beforehand hand kept chilled until ready to cook.

Back Roads Recipes


Lobby Day 2012

The Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists and Tom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law group would like to invite all interested motorcyclists to attend this year’s Motorcycle Lobby Day. This year it will be held on Monday January 16, 2012. This is a holiday so many people are off. That morning Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists lobbyists, as well as members of other state motorcycle rights organizations, independent motorcyclists and any other interested people will go to the Virginia General assembly to discuss upcoming legislation that effects motorcyclists in Virginia with their Delegates and Senators.

On Sunday January 15, from 12:00 pm until we get through, Virginia Coalition of Motorcyclists lobbyists will lead an informational meeting at the Holiday Inn Airport at 445 International Center Dr., Sandston, VA 23150 to dis-cuss this year’s legislation effecting motorcyclists. We will also discuss how to talk to your legislators about these is-sues in case you have never done that. Later that evening attendees will enjoy a free homemade BBQ dinner made by Stewart Newton and provided by several Virginia motor-cycle rights organizations including ABATE of Virginia and the Virginia Bikers Association.

On Monday the 16th we leave the Holiday Inn at 8:00 am sharp for our annual trip to the Capitol. After lobbying our legislators, we will attend the opening of the House of Delegates daily session and be recognized from the floor. Afterwards, Tom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law Group takes everyone to Penny Lane Pub for lunch as a thank you for coming to support Virginia Motorcyclists.

This year we are expecting numerous bills of interest to Virginia motorcyclists. We already know that we will have a bill to prohibit Motorcycle only Checkpoints in Virginia. Delegate Todd Gilbert has agreed to be the patron for that bill and has sent our draft to Legislative Services for final-ization. It was unanimously agreed upon at this year’s legislative round table that this bill was our number one priority this year. If passed it will put to an end the discrimi-natory practice of targeting motorcyclists with checkpoints which have to date yielded very little for those that have conducted them.

We are also still looking at a bill to abolish Virginia’s prohi-bition against two motorcycles riding abreast of each other.

As many of you know it is considered reckless driving for two motorcyclists to ride next to each other in Virginia. In 48 other states it is completely legal. Despite the fact that there is no data to show that two motorcyclists riding abreast are more likely to be in an accident, and further giv-en the fact that Virginia recently passed legislation to allow on-duty law enforcement officers to do so, it still remains a jail-able offense for the general motorcycling community in Virginia. However, we have been unable to seriously speak with potential patrons until the elections. Now that the elec-tions have passes we will be able to speak to some poten-tial patrons who had been busy with campaigns.

As always there will be numerous bills submitted at the last minute which will negatively affect motorcycling. As these bills are filed we will be able to identify them and dis-cuss them at lobby day so that we can convince the legisla-tors why they are bad bills. Those who have participated in Lobby Day in the past remember the bill that we killed that would have required proof of insurance before one person could sell another person a motorcycle, even if the person buying the motorcycle had no intention of putting the bike on the road. We killed that one with the help of all of those who participated in lobby day. Last year we defeated a bill that would have prohibited children under eight from riding on a motorcycle as a passenger.

I encourage everyone who can to join us. It is a lot of fun, it is educational, and most importantly it shows the legisla-tors that motorcyclists are a significant and active section of the electorate. For more information you can call VCOM at (800) 437-9434. For Room Reservations call (804) 236-1111 and ask for the VCOM rate.

Matt Danielson McGrath & Danielson Tom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law Group 1-800-321-8968 Motorcyclelawgroup.com

MOTORCYCLE


Merry Christmas


A RedneckChristmas


ABATE of Virginia welcomes all riders to join in the fight to protect your rights. No matter what you ride, we want YOU! For more information contact Sharon Keaton at 540-937-3924 or [email protected]. Stay on top of the latest ABATE news and events by visiting www.ABATEofVA.com.

ABATE Coalfield Riders Chapter ( Grundy , VA ) meets 7PM every 2nd Saturday at Caleb & Melissa's garage, Deel Fork, Grundy , VA 24614-9600 . Everyone Welcome. For more information contact Steve Stacy at 276-935-2484 or [email protected]

ABATE Culpeper Chapter ( Culpeper , VA ) meets 7PM every 2nd Thursday at Hazel River Pub, 105 E Davis St, Culpeper , VA 22701. Everyone Welcome. For more information contact Tim Dalman at 540-219-6366 or [email protected]

ABATE 1st Capitol Chapter meets the 1st Sunday of every month at the Williamsburg Moose Lodge (5429 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188) NOT at Beachcombers in Yorktown.

ABATE Iron Horse Calvary Chapter ( Lynchburg , VA) meets 7PM every 1st Tuesday at Mary Jane's Café, 826 Kemper St, Lynchburg , VA 24502-3250. Everyone Welcome. For more information contact Tronco at 434-993-3197 or [email protected]

ABATE Lonesome Pine Chapter (Wise, VA)meets 6:30PM every 1st Tuesday at Mosby's Restaurant, 205 Ridgeview Rd, Wise , VA 24293. Everyone Welcome. For more information contact Shag Mead at 276-565-4541 or [email protected]

ABATE Mason-Dixon Chapter ( Fairfax , VA )meets 8PM every 2nd and 4th Tuesday at John's Place, 11104 Lee Hwy, Fairfax , VA 22030-5005. Everyone Welcome. For more information contact Bob Seoane at 703-206-0571or [email protected]

ABATE Olde Dominion Chapter ( Falls Church , VA ) meets 8PM every 1st Monday at JVs Restaurant, 6666 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church , VA 22042-2145. Everyone Welcome. For more information contact Tank Fortner at 703-309-7197 or [email protected]

ABATE River City Chapter ( Richmond , VA )'No meetings, just action!' For more information contact Steve Skeens at 804-389-8293 or [email protected]

ABATE Virginia Cruisers Chapter ( Hampton , VA ) meets 1PM every 1st Sunday at Mugzy's Grill, 1312 E. Pembroke Ave, Hampton, VA. Everyone welcome. For more information contact Pete Bulgart at 757-870-1517 or John at [email protected].

AMBASSADORS FOR JESUS CHRIST MOTORCYCLE MINISTRY (Virginia Chapter) Do you have a love for the lost and a passion for motorcycles? Then the Ambassadors for JESUS CHRIST may be for you. We meet the 4th Saturday of each month (except Nov and Dec) at the Major Hillard Library 824 Old George Washington Hwy N Chesapeake Va at 10am-12pm. For more information contact: Sean “Bronx” 757-338-1974, or Eric “Holyman” 757-237-6018, or www.ambassadorsecmm.org

Beacons/Christian Motorcycle Association - Meetings: 2nd Monday of each month, Piccadilly Cafeteria, Military Hwy, 6-8 PM. Monthly ride: 4th Saturday each month, depart from Hardee’s, 6075 Indian River Road, Virginia Beach. Check our website for ride times and more information: http://cmaner5.org/VA/BEACONSOFTIDEWATER or contact President Lenny Stowell at (757) 420-4411 or [email protected]

Brothers In Arms MCThe Brothers In Arms MC was formed to support the members of our armed forces, past and present, create a camaraderie between like-minded men and women from those services, share in our love of motorcycling and support veteran charities and causes. The Yorktown Chapter usually meets on the third Sunday of the month at various locations in the Yorktown area. The Brothers In Arms MC is a neutral, non-territorial club. For more information about the club and contact links, visit the chapter web site at www.biamc-yorktown.com.

Christian Motorcyclist Association Northern Virginia Chapter 348 www.nvcrcma.com NVCR meets 3rd Sat each month @ Old Country Buffet in Manassas @ 9:00 am, President – Rick Saunders, [email protected] Richmond, Va. 23230. Mike Walton, President (804) 514-9123 meetings come out and ride with us anyway. It’s not about the meetings. For more information on meetings or rides please contact our chapter president, Mark Johnson, at [email protected] or go the www.star440.org

Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association. Our membership is comprised of Full Members (those with verified combat service) and Supporter Members ( those who havenon-combat military service, and have a sincere dedication to helping veterans ).Many members continue to serve in our Armed Forces, with several serving in combatareas now. Virginia Chapter 27-1, Hampton Roads, Va. and Virginia Chapter 27-2, Quanitco, Va., Both chapters meet monthly. For informataion to join contact Ed “Amerbadas” Lonecke Jr., Commander Southern Virginia 27-1, at [email protected] or Graig “Spanky” Benson, Commander Northern Virginia 27-2, at [email protected] Our Virginia website can be accessed through our National Website: http://combatvet.org/

Moose Riders District 8 Meetings 1st Monday of Month. Contact Bubba @ 804-691-7671. Email: [email protected] or Jeff @ 804-892-3346 Email: [email protected]

Road Wench East Coast Women’s Motorcycle Club in Northern VirginiaWebsite: http://roadwenchmc.com/ Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000803818092

TAMA – Tidewater Albemarle Motorcycle Association. ALL clubs or any organization that hosts rides/events are welcome to attend. Come out & meet some good people from all around the area. We’re all working together so that each one our rides/events can be scheduled not to conflict with others & then we can all have a successful turnout. Our meetings are held @ 7pm on the 3rd Thursday of every month (except December). Beginning January 20th, 2011, meetings will be held at Mary Jaynes Lazy Horse, 565 Cedar Rd, Chesapeake, VA23322.

The Sons of God Motorcycle Club Ministry® made up of Christian Bikers whoshare a vision of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ with other bikers.We hold bible study every Monday evening. For more information call TJ(757) 819-3362, Thing (757) 621-4891 or Grape Ape (757) 831-1294. or visitour website at www.sonsofgodmc.org

VA Sons Of Liberty Riders American Patriots Defending the Constitutionwww.sonsoflibertyriders.com Veterans First, Inc. Chapter 1 Richmond, VA- Non-profit org. whose mission is to assist our homeless veterans back into the mainstream of daily living. Meetings are held every 2nd Sunday of the month at 12:00 pm, Lakeside Moose Lodge, 1207 Hilliard Road, Richmond, VA 804 -321-2905 www.veteransfirstinc.org

Virginia Freedom Riders - Riders Against Constitutional Erosion (VFR-R.A.C.E.) exists as a grassroots State Motorcycle Rights Organization (SMRO) dedicated to protecting and restoring motorcyclists personal freedoms, liberties and individual rights. email: [email protected]. Website:vfr-race.com

Warriors of Christ Motorcycle Ministry. 4218 Old Hundred Rd. Chester, VA. 23831. Pastor Ron Walton – Phone (804) 335-5025. Meets every Sunday @6pm and Tuesday @7pm. Visit us on Facebook - www.facebook.com/warriors of christ

[email protected]

Biker Pals


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Tech TipsThe Great Oil Debate (Part I)

Few things generate more debate in the automotive/motorcycle world than the subject of oil. In this series, we’ll clear

up some of the bad information floating around, break down oil in technical terms, and talk about maintenance.

Many moons ago, oil selection with regards to quality, varied greatly. Anything from real cheap non-detergent oil to

the more expensive synthetics and everything in between made selection a little more complicated. These days,

there’s no shortage of choices, but most name brand oils are of excellent quality. As long as you are using the right oil

for the application, you’ll be in good shape.

Let’s start by clarifying some of the “facts” and rumors. First, there’s the synthetic vs. fossil oil argument. Here’s

my take. Synthetic is superior, hands down. It’s also twice the cost, give or take. So is it worth the extra cost for the

better oil? I tell folks that if they follow their recommended factory drain intervals, and ride in mostly average riding

conditions (mainly speaking to extreme temperatures), a good fossil oil will do just fine. Have a tendency to overshoot

that 5,000 mile service? Live in Phoenix? Wrestling with heat management issues like so many new Harley Twin

Cam owners (thanks EPA)? Try switching to a synthetic. In most cases, synthetic will drop your oil temps 10-15 de-

grees. If you’re not on a real tight budget and just want to run the top of the line stuff, that’s OK too. There are many

to choose from. Some of the most well known in the V-Twin world are AMSOIL, Mobile-1, and Harley’s SYN3 to name

a few.

This is a good merge into some of the industry’s best hum dingers. Synthetic IS NOT TOO SLIPPERY! Your bearings

WILL NOT SKID. This was a favorite back before Harley started selling………synthetic oil. Slippery oil is good. It’s

what oil does. Nuff said! My other favorite is “once you start running synthetic, you can’t go back.” I don’t know what

chemistry major came up with that one, but here’s the deal. You can go back and forth all day long. Not only that,

there is no analysis that we have seen that indicates the two can’t be mixed. Synthetic oil is designed to chemically

duplicate fossil oil. Would I recommend mixing fossil with synthetic? Not as a routine, just because there’s no reason

to. In a pinch, however, it’s not going to hurt your bike to run what’s available to get you off the side of the road and

back home.

In conclusion, today’s modern oils are excellent. If you’re brand loyal, run with it. Shopping for the best price, go for

it! Get the right oil for the application and you’ll do just fine. Next month we’ll dive into that (applications) and explain

some of the other technical aspects (viscosity, additive packages, etc.). Ride safe!

(Craig Griswold and Mary Kirby are the owners of Two Gunners Custom Iron. Additional information can be found on

the web at: twogunnerscustomiron.com).

‘Tis The Season


Two medical students were walking along the street when they saw an old man walking with his legs spread apart. He was stiff-legged and walking slowly.One student said to his friend: “I’m sure that poor old man has Peltry Syndrome. Those people walk just like that.” The other student says: “No, I don’t think so. The old man surely has Zovitzki Syndrome. He walks slowly and his legs are apart, just as we learned in class.” Since they couldn’t agree they decided to ask the old man.. They approached him and one of the students said to him, “We’re medical students and couldn’t help but notice the way you walk, but we couldn’t agree on the syndrome you might have. Could you tell us what it is?”The old man said, “I’ll tell you, but first you tell me what you two fine medical students think.”The first student said, “I think it’s Peltry Syndrome.”The old man said, “You thought - but you are wrong.”The other student said, “I think you have Zovitzki Syn-drome.”The old man said, “You thought - but you are wrong.”So they asked him, “Well, old timer, what do you have?”The old man said, “I thought it was gas - but I was wrong, too!”

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They’re both dogs! If electricity comes from electrons, why do morons have such a difficult time finding morality?

Dearest Son in Prison:I’m writing this slow because I know you can’t read fast. We don’t live where we did when you left home. Your dad read in the newspaper that most accidents happen within 20 miles of your home, so we moved. I won’t be able to send you the address because the last Arkansas family that lived here took the house numbers when they moved so they wouldn’t have to change their address. This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine. I’m not sure about it. I put a load of clothes in & pulled the chain. We haven’t seen them since. The weather isn’t bad here. It only rained twice

last week; the first time for three days and the 2nd time for 4 days. About that coat you wanted me to send; your Uncle Billy Bob said it would be too heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on, so we cut them off and put them in the pock-ets. Bubba locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really worried because it took him 2 hours to get me & your father out. Your sister had a baby this morning, but I haven’t found out what it is yet so I don’t know if you are an aunt or uncle. Uncle Bobby Ray fell into a whiskey vat last week. Some men tried to pull him out but he fought them off & drowned. We had him cremated, he burned for 3 days. 3 of your friends went off a bridge in a pickup truck. Butch was driving. He rolled down the window & swam to safety. Your other two friends were in the back. They drowned because they couldn’t get the tailgate down! There isn’t much more news at this time. Nothing much out of the normal has hap-pened. Love, Your Favorite Aunt, Mom.

A man came to visit his grandparents, and he noticed his grandfather sitting on the porch, in the rocking chair, wearing only a shirt, with nothing on from the waist down. “Grandpa, what are you dong? Your “winkie” is out in the wind for everyone to see!” The old man looked off in the distance without answering. “Grandpa, what are you doing sitting out here with nothing on below the waist?” he asked again. The old man slowly looked at him and said, “Well...last week I sat out here with no shirt on, and I got a stiff neck. This here is your grandma’s idea.”

A city cop was on his horse waiting to cross the street when a little girl stopped beside him on her shiny new bike. Nice bike, the cop said. Did Santa bring it to you? “Yep, the little girl said. He sure did!” The cop looked the bike over and handed the girl a $20.00 ticket for a safety violation, saying, “Next year, tell Santa to put a reflector on the back of it”. The little girl looked up at the cop and said, “Nice horse you got there, sir, did Santa bring it to you?” “Yes , he sure did”, chuckled the cop. The little girl looked up at the cop and said, “Next year, tell Santa the dick goes underneath the horse, not on top”.


The Official Newsletter of Virginia’s First Motorcyclists’ Rights Organization www.abateva.orgAny Biker Friendly Business that offers a 10% discount to ABATE of VA members, will get a free business card size ad in every Freewheelin’ issue.

GOOD FOR YOUHoliday Edition

ChestnutsWhether you choose to roast them on an open fire as the classic Christmas song describes or simply eat them raw, chestnuts are a low-calorie alternative to high-fat nuts, such as almonds and walnuts. The typical serving

of chestnuts contains less than one-half g of fat and only 64 calories, the University of Missouri states. Additionally, chestnuts are rich in vitamin C, a vitamin that can boost your immunity and help prevent wintertime colds and flu.

Cranberry SauceNatural cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries is naturally rich in antioxi-dants that can protect your heart, the National Cranberry Institute states. Cranberries contain significant amounts of a special antioxidant known

as flavonoids. The flavonoids in cranberries can protect your heart from the damage that leads to clogged arteries. Opt to make your cranberry sauce with limited or no added sugar to retain its health-boosting properties; use orange juice or sugar substitutes to offset the cranberries’ tartness.

YamsYams are a popular Christ-mas dinner side dish. Not only are yams delicious, they are very low on the glycemic index, Harvard University reports. Eating low glycemic index foods, such as yams, regularly may reduce your

risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and keep tabs on your holiday appetite. Opt to cook yams without added sugar or oil. Also, don’t remove the skin on the yams, as the skin is naturally high in dietary fiber.

Freewheeling

Placing an ad with us?Listing your event in our calen-dar? Don’t forget that our dead-line is the 15th of every month

for the following month’s issue-don’t be left behind!

DEADLINE!


White Trash Repairs –White Trash Repairs is your one stop shop for some good ole, git r’ done ingenuity. See more of these ingenious ideas at www.whitetrashrepairs.com

The Nutcracker The submitter wrote: “Christmas 2010: My mother ap-parently doesn’t own a nutcracker and seemed to think this was a good enough solution.” …and that is when it hit me that I too must be white trash, I agree with mom this idea rocks! A+ for mom!

Milk Defused Light So how do you defuse your porch light when its too bright? Since I know plastic melts I’m thinking this isn’t such a great idea, what do you think?

The Little Red Snow Plow This is what happens when the grand kids leave their bikes at grandpa’s house, he makes a snow plow out of them. Wonder how long it took to do the driveway with this little red snow plow.

Redneck Bidet What more can you say about this? Craptastic, I dunno…

Christmas Decorations Ideas Starting to decorate your house and you need some ideas? So how do you make this star? All you need is one styrofoam ball and a box of clear straws (like you find at some fast food restaurants).

When Your Dog Is Your Best Friend



Tattoo Of The MonthCOMING SOON

www.freedombikerchurchvabeach.com

FREEDOM BIKER CHURCH OF VIRGINIA BEACH (Black Leather, Tattoos and Jeans...proper Sunday attire)

“Let’s Ride...For Christ’s Sake”

Informational meeting coming soon, e-mail us at: [email protected]


K.I.S.S. page composed & edited by: Toni McCoy Shearon of Tennessee

TOTALLY SIMPLE AND SIMPLY DELICIOUSCHRISTMAS STUFFED TURKEY BREAST

1 Double-Sided, Deboned, Skin-On, Turkey Breast(just ask your Butcher at fave grocery store. They are happy to oblige requests) Prepare stuffing below. Slit your turkey breast open and lay flat on cutting board. Remember to salt & pepper well the inside. Take heaping spoonfulls of stuffing and place in the middle of turkey breast. Take one end of breast and bring up and over large amount of stuffing in the middle. Pull tight as you roll up the turkey breast all the way to end, Place end of roll down to hold in place as you take butcher’s string (make sure you use butcher’s string or could easily catch on fire). Now, take your string and tie on end very simple knot, run string down one end of breast and all the way under beast and then tie up other end and continue on to tie up 2 more places towards middle of breast. If this seems too difficult, just make 4 separte ties. That’s really all that matters is holding it together. Now, take melted butter and baste it all over the turkey breast well and salt & pepper generously., I always like to also rub it down with whatever flavor I’m trying to showcase; orange zest, basil, rosemary.......it’s your bird, you decide. Now, place in a roast-ing pan, on a rack. Again, this is where it’s your choice to add apple juice to the bottom of the pan for all those great flavors to be infused into turkey breast as it roasts. You could add pear juice, orange juice, ruby-red grapefruit......get creative! Roast in a 350 degree oven for 2 & 1/2 hours. Baste every half hour with melted butter. If it’s getting too brown; tent with aluminum foil but be sure and take off towards the end to get good, crispy skin. When slicing, be sure and slice nice thick slices where everyone gets plenty of crispy skin.

Turkey Gravy: Make it really simple and just take the roasting pan that turkey was in; add 2 bottles of quality turkey gravy, mix well over medium heat and this makes phenom. gravy.....and plenty of it. Serve on a platter with sliced turkey complete and gravy in a separate gravy boat. This is so simple and you’ll get raves on it!

ALWAYS PERFECT SUPER SIMPLE STUFFING 3 Boxes of Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing2 Cartons of Fresh, Sliced Mushrooms3 Cartons of Chicken Stock; Unsalted1 X-Large Yellow Onion - large chop1 Whole Tube of Savory, Sage Sausage1 Stick of Real Butter1/2 Cup of Currants (optional)1/2 Cup of Golden Raisins (optional)Fry up your sausage; drain on paper towels on plate. Use same skillet with grease from sausage and saute up your onions and mushrooms. While you’re doing all this, go ahead and make Stove Top Stuffing to package directions. I always substitute chicken stock instead of water though; just makes it taste better. Make sure it’s the no salt kind though, or your stuffing will be way too salty. Add stick of butter to stuffing while mixing up. Add your onions & mushrooms & sausage, currants and raisins. This tastes incredible! Use this stuffing to roll up in your turkey breast and whatever is left over put in a serving bowl for every-one to have plenty on the side. Yum!

PERFECT ENDING TO A PERFECT CHRISTMAS DINNERBuy 1 Premade & Cooked Sweet Potato Pieat your favorite grocery deli, heat it thuroughly, then add to it:MERINGUE TOPPING:4 Egg Whites1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar1/2 Cup Sugar1 Jar (7 oz.) Marshmallow Creme1/2 Cup of Miniature Marshmallows1/4 Cup Flaked CoconutBeat egg whites & cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar.....1 Tbls. at a time, on high now, until stiff glossy peaks form. Place marshmallow creme in a separate bowl; fold in 1/3rd of egg mixture at first, then the rest, gently. Spread meringue evenly over hot pie, sealing edges to crust. Sprinkle generously with marshmallows & coconut. Bake 12-15 mins. until golden brown. Cool for 1 hour then place in fridge for 3 hours. Use a knife run under hot water for good, clean cuts. This pie is one of my all-time favorites!

Merry Christmas all you fabulous bikers & troops!


It’s important for you to know who your friends are out there when you hit the road!

Welcome to our Biker Friendly Directory. The following is a list of establishments

throughout the Mid-Atlantic that want you to know that they’re here for YOU. Whether it’s a bike dealer, service shop, restaurant, bar

or any other type of business that welcomes our biking community through their doors, you can count on our family of friends to

always welcome you in. ALL of our regular advertisers can be found, in bold, throughout this listing. All of our friends listed are “Biker

Friendly” & most of them ride too, so they know exactly what you want & need. The staff

here at Thunder Roads greatly appreciates of all of our advertiser’s continuous support

each month - they are the sole financial supporters of this magazine. WE WOULD

NOT EXIST WITHOUT THEM! So please give them the support that they truly deserve for being with us & drop by to see them for a

visit. Let them know that you saw them here in Thunder Roads. If you know of a business that

would like to join our Thunder Roads family of Biker Friendly Places, please give us a call (757) 831-2264 or email kelly@thunderroads-

virginia.com “Where There’s Bikes….There’s Going To Be

Thunder - THUNDER ROADS”* Pick up your FREE copy of Thunder Roads

at these locations

DEALERS, PARTS & SERVICE

Delaware

Harley-Davidson of Seaford*_

22586 Sussex Hwy.

Seaford, Del. 19973

302-629-6161

www.hdofseaford.com

also on Facebook

Maryland

All American Harley-Davidson *

8126 Leonardtown Rd.

Hughesville, MD 20637

(888) 833-2REV

www.allamericanh-d.com

Harley-Davidson of Washington, DC *

9407 Livingston Rd.

Ft. Washington, MD

(888) HDFEVER

www.hdwash.com

Virginia

Absolut Cycle Worx *5016 Midlothian TpkeRichmond, VA 23224

(804) 497-7000

ABW Designs *

Andrew Walker

340 East Broadway Ave

Hopewell, VA 23860

(804) 452-0088

[email protected]

www.abwdesigns.us

Big Daddyz Cycles *2810 Geo. Wash. Mem. Hwy.

Hayes, VA 23072 (In Gloucester County)

(4 miles over the Coleman)804-642-3436 fax# [email protected]

www.bigdaddyzcycles.com

Dennis’ Truck & Trailer Repair, Inc. *309 Maury

Richmond, VA 23224Phone: (804) 230-7905

Fax: (804) 232-1302

Departure Bike Works *5216 Hull St

Richmond, VA 23224(804) 231-0244

www.departure.com

Gary’s Automotive Again *

23220 Airport Street

Petersburg, VA 23803

(804) 733-8644

Grove’s Winchester Harley-Davidson *

140 Independence Drive Winchester, VA 22602

(800) 777-4275 or (540) 667-5655

www.hdwinchester.com

Hampton Roads Harley-Davidson*

6450 George Washington Memorial HwyYorktown, VA(757) 872-7223www.hrhd.com

Outlanders *

4768 US Highway 211 West

Luray, VA 22835

(540) 743-2040

www.outlanders.ws

email: [email protected]

Patriot Harley-Davidson *

9739 Fairfax Blvd

Fairfax, VA

(703) 352-5400

www.patriothd.com

Revolutionary Harley-Davidson *

1915 Pocahontas Trail Unit F-5

Williamsburg, VA 23185

(757) 565-5122

www.hrhd.com

Richmond Harley-Davidson *

10441 Washington Highway

Glen Allen, VA

(804) 550-9280

www.richmondharley.com

Scooters*

6906-B School Ave.

Richmond, Va 23228

804-321-0037

Shenandoah Harley-Davidson*213 Rolling Thunder Lane

Staunton, VA(540) 213-7433

www.shenhd.com

Southside Harley-Davidson, Inc. *

385 North Witchduck RdVirginia Beach, VA

(757) 499-8964www.hrhd.com

Waugh Enterprises

Harley-Davidson*

385 Waugh Blvd

Orange, VA 22960

800-88-WAUGH

http://www.waughhd.com

LEGAL SERVICES

Epstein, Sandler & Flora P.C.*

413 W. York Street

Norfolk, VA 23610

1-800-9-THE-LAW

Tom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law Group*

The Firm That RidesDedicated to protecting the

rights of injured motorcyclists1-800-321-8968

www.motorcyclelawgroup.com

BIKER ACCESSORIES,

APPAREL, LEATHERS & GIFTS

Virginia

Big Daddy Leather*

1900 Princess Anne Street

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

(540) 899-0048

www.bigdaddyleather.com

Biker’s Depot*612 Nevan Rd Suite 108 Hilltop

Virginia Beach, VA (757) 962-0159

www.thebikersdepot.com

Cavelli’s Inc*3514 Oaklawn BlvdHopewell, VA 23860

(804) 458-2016

Fast Lane Biker Gear & Accessories *

166 S. Rosemont Rd. Ste. G

Virginia Beach, VA 23452

(757) 340-4446

Harley-Haven*

1920 Atlantic Ave

Virginia Beach, VA

(757) 425-2458

www.hrhd.com

Tidewater Motorcycles, Inc.*

4324 Godwin Blvd

Suffolk, VA 23434

(757) 255-4200

www.tidewatermotorcycles.net

WTF Leather Crafter *

Seats, Sewing, Patches, Leather work

612 Nevan Rd, Suite 108 Hilltop

Virginia Beach, VA

(757) 439-2813

* Pick up your FREE copy of Thunder Roads at these locations

Thunder Roads Is Brought To You Each Month By The Following Biker Friendly BusinessesBIKER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY


INSURANCE

GEICO Powersports*

Motorcycle, ATV, RV, Watercraft

1-800-44-CYCLE (442-9253)

www.geico.com

BARS & RESTAURANTS

North Carolina

Barry’s Walnut Island

Restaurant, Lodge,*

Sports Center & Marina

169 Walnut Island Blvd

Grandy, NC 27939

(252) 453-4153

www.walnutisland.com

www.outerbanksbikeshow.com

Virginia

Alley Café & Sports Lounge

688 N Main St

Kilmarnock, VA 22482

(804) 436-1100

Boneshakers Sports

Bar and Grill*

1297 General Booth Blvd


(757) 502-4918

www.boneshakersvb.com

Clutch Bar & Grill*

1485 General Booth Blvd (Behind Hooters)


(757) 491-2229

www.clutchbarandgrill.com

email: [email protected]

Damon & Company Sports Bar & Grill *

7104 George Washington Mem. Hwy, Rt

17 North

Gloucester, VA (804) 693-7218

www.damonsbar.com

Goochland Restaurant *2966 River Rd West

Goochland, VA 23063(804) 556-9990

Grumpy’s Bar & Grill* 995 Kempsville Rd.

Virginia beach, VA 23464(757) 474-0880

www.grumpysbarandgrillvb.com Visit us on Facebook/Grumpy’s

Bar & Grill

HOOTERS Richmond – West Broad *

7912 West Broad Street(804) 270-WING

Padow’s Hams and Deli

“A Tradition of Taste since 1934”

8161 Atlee Road

Mechanicsville, VA 23111

804-569-1610

[email protected]

Steel Horse Bar and Grill *

1920 W. Hundred Rd.

(1/2 mile east of I-95 on Rt. 10)

Chester, VA 23836

(804) 706-6600

www.steelhorseva.com

MOTORCYCLE RACES & EVENTS

Slades Park – Dirt Drag Racing

1111 Mount Ray Drive

Surry, Virginia 23883

Contact Joe Brookman

(804) 221-3959 or fax (804) 737-0616

MOTORCYCLE RENTALS

Shenandoah Harley-Davidson*213 Rolling Thunder Lane

Staunton, VA 24401(540) 213-8026

www.shenandoahhd.com

POWDER COATING

J & J Powder Coating*

2424 Castleton Commerce Way,

Suite 1101

Virginia Beach, VA. 23456

(757) 406-2922

* Pick up your FREE copy of Thunder Roads at these locations

BIKER FRIENDLY DIRECTORYFUN PLACES TO STAY

North Carolina

Barry’s Walnut Island Restaurant, Lodge,*

Sports Center & Marina

169 Walnut Island Blvd

Grandy, NC 27939

(252) 453-4153

www.walnutisland.com

www.Barrysbikerally.com

Comfort Inn Oceanfront South

8031 Old Oregon Inlet Road

Nags Head, NC

(800) 334-3302

Virginia

Outlanders River Camp*

4253 US Hwy 211 West

Luray, VA

(540) 743-5540

www.outlandersrivercamp.net

LIMOSINE SERVICES

Down Under Limosine(804) 784-4024

Serving Central Virginiawww.downunderlimosine.com

PERSONAL SERVICES

Kuttin Station *

For ALL your hair needs!

20820 Carson Rd

Dinwiddie, VA 23841

Biker Specials!

(804) 469-9003

TOWING

Peaco Towing Inc.*

6906 School Ave.

Richmond, Va 23228

804-262-1001

BIKER CHURCHES

Liberty Biker Church* 17011 Courthouse HwyIsle of Wight County, VA

Hang-around (social) time: 10 a.m. with free

donuts and coffee. Worship service: 11 a.m. with Christian rock band Stronghold providing the church music. Contact is Pastor Jim Manner,

(757) 376-3612. We hold services every Sunday & Blessing of the Bikes the

1st Sunday of each month.

Rushing Wind Ministry

29025 Three Notch Rd.

Mechanicsville, MD 20659

Gordon Bacon, Preacher

(240) 577-0605 [email protected]

Sunday service 10am-10:30am. Gathering

and fellowship with coffee and snacks.

Wednesday Bible study 7pm-8:30 & Friday

night bike night 6:30pm-10pm

Freedom Biker Church of Virginia Beach

[email protected]

www.freedombikerchurchvabeach.com


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News BytesCOURT ALLOWS RAID ON RIDER ED FUNDSThe Illinois Supreme Court may have opened the door for states to reallocate hundreds of millions of dollars from dedi-cated funding to balance their budgets. In a recent 6-to-1 decision, the state’s high court upheld a prior circuit court rul-ing that backed the governor and Legislature’s ability to take money from hundreds of special state funds to offset budget-ary deficits, a practice commonly referred to as “sweeping”. Motorcycle riders sued former Gov. Rod Blagojevich after he swept $1.2 million from the Cycle Riders Safety Training Fund (CRSTF) to pay general state bills after a 2004 law passed by lawmakers allowed him to do so. A portion of the fee for an Illinois motorcycle license goes into the CRSTF, which ABATE of Illinois argued was only to be spent on motorcycle safety education. “Clearly, the fee charged by the state for motorcycle registration and licensing is state reve-nue, and therefore the portion of this state revenue which the General Assembly has allocated to the CRSTF is also public money,” wrote Justice Anne Burke in the majority opinion. Burke rejected the ABATE lawyers’ argument that the special fund was tantamount to a special trust fund. The state Su-preme Court concluded that the legislature cannot create an irrevocable trust with public money because this would place an unconstitutional restraint upon the legislature’s plenary power. Sweeping special funds was a controversial way to deal with budget deficits during the Blagojevich administra-tion, and although the court’s ruling opens the door to more such sweeps, current Illinois Governor Pat Quinn opposes fund sweeps and has worked to end the practice.

MICHIGAN REQUESTS YOUR SUPPORT FOR HELMET FREEDOM Michigan may be on the verge of repealing their mandatory helmet law as Senate Bill 291 appears destined for the governor’s desk, and ABATE of Michigan has issued a “Call to Action” requesting the help of all motorcyclists in their freedom of choice efforts. SB291 passed the Michigan Sen-ate 24-14 in late June, and is now back for a “concurrence vote” after passing the House 69-39 on Nov 2nd, so a favor-able vote will put ABATE’s hopes in the hands of Governor Rick Snyder who has not indicated whether he will sign or veto the measure. Two previous repeal bills were vetoed by then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm. “Governor Snyder prides him-self on being all about business and helping business,” said Vince Consiglio, President of ABATE of MI, adding; “A letter from a ‘FREE’ State may help him realize Michigan loses mo-torcycle money every day of the summer with a mandatory helmet law.” Under the bill, motorcyclists 21 and older would have the option of riding helmet-free if they have two years of experience or have taken a safety course, and if they buy at least $20,000 in medical insurance. “Please urge Gover-nor Snyder to support adult choice,” requests Consiglio on behalf of ABATE, by contacting Governor Rick Snyder, State Capital, P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, MI 48909 or call (517) 373-3400 or e-mail [email protected].

BIKERS RALLY TO RESCIND UN-FAIR POLICY“The State Fair of Louisiana, for a minute, mind you, adopted a discriminatory position toward bikers by posting signs that would not allow them to attend the fair in their traditional biker gear, some of which is protective gear,” said Mary Baker in an article in the Examiner newspaper, adding that “…bik-ers everywhere contribute to charity in a way that not many other segments of the population do… And, they definitely make an impact on the local community, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars at local establishments including res-taurants, theaters, bars, parks, and small businesses. That is why it is disheartening to hear of discrimination based solely on appearance.” Upon being alerted of the fair’s new anti-biker policy, Facebook exploded with messages like this: “ALERT/INFO: The State Fair of La. has adopted the policy: NO COLORS… Signs are now being posted at all gates. NO BIKER COLORS of ANY KIND. Please pass this on to ALL BIKER friends and family. MC’s are being Discrimi-nated against. To Complain:::: Call State Fair of La. Let Your VOICES be heard.... Repost!!! Don’t support the fair...”You can imagine that bikers, their friends and family were livid. They began to complain about the discrimination with phone calls to the Director of the State Fair, and his of-fices. The result: Before the end of the day, this message by the representative for Independent Riders, Northwest Louisiana, was posted on Facebook: “UPDATE...UPDATE...UPDATE... WE HAVE WON !!!!! Just received a call... And the State Fair of Louisiana has now changed their policy. THE SIGNS HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND ALL BIKERS ARE WELCOME AT THE FAIR !!!!!! Never, never, NEVER underestimate the power of a close knit FAMILY !!! Thanks to all who made calls and helped !!!” Louisiana State COIR (Coalition Of Independent Riders) Commander Lionel “Nite Train” Bailey reported that the US Defenders and COIR conducted a phone campaign and not only have the Louisi-ana State Fair officials rescinded their No Colors policy, but even offered to organize a Bike Night to a Blue Oyster Cult concert.

LAWMAKERS OVERRIDE GOVERNOR’S VETO OF RED LIGHT BILL The Illinois House voted 94-21 and the Sen-ate voted 45-6 to override Gov. Pat Quinn’s veto of the “Dead Red” bill supported by ABATE of Illinois that would allow motorcyclists to proceed through malfunctioning red lights. As written, House Bill 2860 sponsored by Senator Gary Forby (D-Benton) and Representative Daniel Beiser (D-Alton), specifies that a motorcyclist would be permitted to legally run a red light “after a reasonable period of time,” but Quinn vetoed the legislation with the request that a two minute wait time be amended to it. The law will now go into effect on January 1, 2012, and according to Sen. Forby; “A measure I sponsored (HB 2860) will now become law after I was successful in overriding the governor’s amendatory veto. The bill allows motorcyclists to go through a red light if it fails to change to green because the switch hasn’t been


News Bytestripped, or didn’t recognize the motorcycle. To alleviate a few of the concerns some of my colleagues raised, I introduced a “trailer bill” that requires motorcyclists to wait 120 seconds before proceeding through the red light. For those of us who have been stuck at a light without it ever changing to green, we know how reasonable this legislation is. This situation happens more than many people think and is a growing concern for bikers at outdated intersections. In fact, 360 rear end collisions occurred with motorcycles that were slowed or stopped in traffic in 2010. If bikers are trapped at a light, this bill gives them an opportunity to safely proceed through that signal, because otherwise they don’t really have much of a choice. 11 other states already have laws like this in place, none of which have tried to rescind it.”

INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE SAFETY REPORTS RELEASED Headlight configurations that make motorcycles more noticeable, why drivers fail to give way to motorcycles at T-intersections, and how mirror use influences car-motorcycle conflicts are among the topics researched and reported on in the new January issue of Accident Analysis & Prevention (AA&P), a journal primarily focused on causes and impacts of transportation accidents. The themed AA&P edition is titled “Safety and Mobility of Vulnerable Road Us-ers: Pedestrians, Bicyclists, and Motorcyclists” and consists of a selection of papers presented at an international confer-ence organized by Israel’s National Road Safety Authority. In a report entitled “Recognizability of different configura-tions of front lights on motorcycles,” the researchers say that “Results of a laboratory experiment have shown that motorcycles with a T-shaped light configuration are more quickly identified, particularly when the motorcycles are in visual competition with other motorized road users.” In “Why do car drivers fail to give way to motorcycles at t-junctions?,” researchers studied differences between novice drivers, experienced drivers, and “dual drivers,” i.e., drivers who also ride motorcycles. They found that dual drivers were better at recognizing motorcycles than either of the other two groups. While the results are inconclusive, the researchers state that “We argue that this is potential evidence for an oculomotor basis for Look But Fail To See errors.” The report “Attention and search conspicuity of motorcycles as a function of their visual context” says that multi-colored, reflective, and white rider outfits consistently made the riders more noticeable than a black outfit. Cars changing lanes without recognizing that a motorcycle is in that lane is a common experience for motorcy-clists, and that topic is addressed in “Attending overtaking cars and motorcycles through the mirrors before changing lanes.” Not surprisingly, the researchers found that “Risky maneuvers were less likely to occur in those cases where more time was spent gazing at the mirrors.” Other reports in this issue ad-dress other motorcycle-related issues, and can be accessed on a for-pay basis, but abstracts of the reports are available on the journal’s website at www.journals.elsevier.com.

MOTORCYCLISTS BEWARE: STATES WITH THE WORST DRIVERS You might believe that your state has the worst drivers in the country, but a newly released report from Ca-rinsurancecomparison.com ranked states according to their safety record to determine where the bad drivers live. Five factors were considered when determining the rank-ings; fatalities per million miles traveled, drunken driving, the number of tickets issued, failure to obey traffic signals and carelessness, utilizing data compiled from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (driving fatalities), the National Motorist’s Association (traffic tickets), and MADD (drunk drivers).Here is their list of the 10 states with the worst drivers: #10) South Carolina - Ranked 48th for fatalities and 45th for obeying road signs. #9) Alabama - 46th for tickets. 42nd for fatalities. 41st for obeying road signs. #8) Montana - Highest ticket rate in the country. Also ranked 40th for carelessness. #7) Kentucky - 42nd for carelessness and 48th for drunk driving. #6) Arizona - Arizona ranked poorly across the board. #5) Oklahoma - Lots of DUIs, fatal accidents, and traffic tickets. #4) Florida – Not as many drunk drivers... But Florida has more tickets than any other state. #3) Texas - Texas ranked pretty poor in all categories. #2) Missouri - Ranked in the bottom 10 for carelessness and DUIs. #1) Louisiana - In the bottom 10 in all categories except failure to obey signs. The safest driving state was Rhode Island, followed by Con-necticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, and New Hampshire.

WEIRD NEWS: SPAIN FINES MOVIE POSTERS OVER HELMETLESS TOM HANKSThe Spanish distributor for the movie “Larry Crowne” was fined for a poster showing stars Tom Hanks and Julia Rob-erts riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Tripictures was given a traffic fine of 30,000 euros ($41,500) for using the film’s U.S. poster to promote the movie’s overseas premiere because the government claimed it promoted reckless driv-ing. The distributor initially thought the ticket was a joke, but in 1985 Spain instituted a law that banned advertisements from promoting reckless driving. Fines are also given to celebrities if they promote the image of poor driving. One example came last year, when singer Shakira drove through Barcelona on a motorcycle without a helmet in one of her music videos.

QUOTABLE QUOTE:“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolution-ary act.” ~ George Orwell (1903-1950) author of “1984”


As those on this list already know, Virginia is one of only two states that make it illegal for two motor-cycles to travel side by side. The law prohibits motor vehicles from riding abreast of each other. I have argued that due to the way that the statute is written an officer could charge riders who pull up to one another at a stop light. This is something that most motorcyclists do on a regular basis. The argu-ment is that one motorcyclist is rid-ing abreast to another when pulling alongside the other motorcycle.

Be careful if you are riding in the area of Crewe Virginia . There is an officer writing motorcyclists for that very thing. We are currently representing two motorcyclists who have been charged with reckless driving for pulling alongside each other at a stop light. I will keep you informed of the outcome. I also hope that we can address this mat-ter during the next session of the General Assembly. Keep in mind that Lobby Day this year is January 16. We will have our prep meeting on Sunday January 15. I will send

more information on Lobby Day as it gets closer.

As an aside, I want to report a fantastic ride that I recently had with Jim Cannon , who is the Direc-tor of The Virginia Coalition of Mo-torcyclists, Chad Fuller, the attor-ney who runs our Columbia South Carolina office and Ralph Bell who is with Abate of South Carolina. On October 20 we rode down to Jack-sonville Florida . On October 21 we woke up and rode to the beach. We stuck the toes of our boots in the Atlantic and then jumped on our bikes. Forty-three hours thirty-six minutes later we stuck the toes of our boots in the Pacific. On the way back we slowed it down and toured a little of Route 66. It was a great ride.

As stated above I will keep you posted on these tickets and I hope to see everyone at Lobby Day in Richmond .

Matt DanielsonMcGrath & DanielsonTom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law Group1-800-321-8968Motorcyclelawgroup.com

Two Abreast

The Birth of JesusThe birth of a baby is not necessarily an unusual event. Thousands of babies are born every day. If it is the birth of your baby, it is a very special event. We never really know all that the birth of a baby is going to mean. There is a story about a conversation that took place in Kentucky in the early 1800s. One of the Mountaineers said to the other, “Has anything unusual happened down at the village lately?” The other one said, “No, nothing unusual. Oh, yes, there was a baby born down at Tom Lincoln’s cabin.” The other one said, “What was his name?” “Abe Lincoln. Nothing ever happens out here.” But you never know what the birth of a baby is going to mean. The birth of Jesus is a birth like no other birth the world has ever experienced. When Jesus was born it was a birth that was miraculous. It was a birth that was surrounded in mystery. It was a birth that was surrounded with marvel. When Jesus was born, there was never a baby born like Jesus was born. In fact, when you think about it, the birth of Jesus started the datelines of all of the nations of the world. The Greeks tried to date time from the beginning of their Olympiad and they failed. The Romans tried to date time from their founding but they failed. The French tried to date time from the year one of their revolution and they failed. But what all of the nations failed to do, Jesus did. When Jesus was born, He literally Christianized the calendar of the whole wide world. What a birth was the birth of Jesus! I read about a painting that had been damaged somewhat. Someone had thrown some paint over on top of the painting. Some specialists came in and were able to peel back the paint that did not belong there to get back to the original. We need to peel back and get to the real birth of the Lord Jesus. Matthew 1:18-21(NKJV) 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His

Connect with Us 1 (800) 525-LOVE (5683)Every day, God uses K-LOVE to make a difference in millions of lives. By providing positive music and inspirational stories, K-LOVE helps people draw closer to God. Unlike other radio stations, K-LOVE has a full time ministry team that processes over 100 phone calls a day of listeners in need of guidance. The pastors and staff at K-LOVE pray for over 1,000 prayer requests every day, and on average, intervene in one suicide case per day. If K-LOVE has impacted your life, it is because generous listeners stepped out on faith to support the ministry of K-LOVE. We ask that you also take that step of faith and enable us to continue making a positive difference in our world. “ Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. ” (Proverbs 13:20 NLT) Thunder Roads Virginia is a K-LOVE Business Team Member. Find a station-near you at www.klove.com

mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”


Check out more of these “Special Shoppers” at www.peopleofwalmart.com

The People Of Walmart

Happy Holidays! Well, since it’s Christmas we figured instead of showing our usual Wal-Creatures we would show you THE CUTEST WALMART SHOPPER EVER! Merry Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas! Merry Christ-mas from Mr. & Mrs. Claus and all the People of Walmart.

Hat Trick Ho Ho Ho-ly sh*t! He even got little tiny hats! Who would have thought Santa would need more atten-tion?! Idaho

Believe I DO believe! I DO, I DO, I DO! (Note: I will not divulge what exactly it is that I believe about this guy because I’m try-ing to stay off the Naughty List.) Texas

Elf Yourself I’m not shocked he sent his elf out for Red Bull, Santa can’t fly around the world in one night without wings! Florida

Mr. Grinch Grab your Wangdoodles and your Hornswoggles and get into the Christmas spirit people!

Santa Claus Is Riding To Town If you can read this, Mrs. Claus fell off….8 days. Florida

The Holiday Bandit Is Back Ahh yes, the perfect Christmas outfit for that indecisive person out there who can’t decide on whether to dress like Santa, an elf, or a Christmas tree. New York

Multitalented Santa I want my Santa to be able to not only fix a Harley but also be able pick out a cute outfit for my niece! Arizona


The Firm That Rides - Rides Coast to CoastAs many readers know, the slogan for Tom McGrath’s

Motorcycle Law Group is “The Firm That Rides.” That slo-gan has been met, often and understandably, with skepti-cism. There are countless attorneys out there that claim to be riders. That generally means they will do a poker run on a weekend (if the weather is good) or ride their bike for a photo op.

Many of you reading this know that we really do ride. We have ridden to events throughout not only the Carolinas and Virginia, but to events throughout the country. For instance this past September we rode out to Detroit Michigan for a Motorcycle Riders Foundation event. However, this past October was the best ride I have taken with members and friends of the firm.

On October 20th, Jim Cannon, the Director of The Vir-ginia Coalition of Motorcyclists, Chad Fuller, who runs our Columbia South Carolina office, Ralph Bell, who is with Abate of South Carolina, and I rode down to Jacksonville Florida. On October 21 we woke up and rode to the beach. The four of us walked out and stuck the toes of our boots into the Atlantic Ocean. After that we jumped on our bikes. Forty-three hours thirty-six minutes later we stuck the toes of our boots into the Pacific Ocean. It was a great ride.

For the most part the ride was uneventful (which is good). However two things caused slight concern. The first was when Ralph’s, Chad’s and my low fuel light came on in the middle of the desert in Texas. Jim has a new Road Glide with a six gallon tank so he was good. The rest of us were sweating it until a service station came into view. We limped in and decided that we would shorten fuel stops to every 100 miles. The other occurred shortly after we hit California. It was a close encounter with a gator. The rup-tured truck tire variety not the reptilian variety. I hate those damn things. Other than that all was fine and we made it into San Diego safe, sound and tired.

The trip back was more relaxing. We rode parts of Route 66 and even stopped in Winslow Arizona to get a picture of the four of us standing on a corner there. In Amarillo Texas Ralph and Chad munched on mountain oysters while Jim and I commented on the appropriate condiments for such

a fare. The entire ride ended up being over 5,900 miles of pure bliss. The hardest part of the ride was not the length or duration. It was packing. Due to the time of year and route we rode in heat, cold, wind, rain and even a little sleet. Gear went on and came off constantly.

If you have not had the opportunity to ride cross country I would highly recommend it. You get an idea of how big and varied our country is and how lucky we are to have so much great riding space at our disposal. Next time I want to do a northern route and see some different country. And speak-ing of next time, the next time you hear someone express skepticism when they hear “The Firm That Rides” do me a favor and pass this story along. If they give us a call we will even invite them along for the next trip. Matt DanielsonMcGrath & DanielsonTom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law Group1-800-321-8968Motorcyclelawgroup.com


Get into a higher spiritual gear!17011 Courthouse Hwy., Isle of Wight County, VA

Hangaround (social) time: begins at 10 a.m. on Sundays, free donuts & coffee

Worship service: 11 a.m. on Sundaysmusic by Christian rock band Stronghold

learn more online: www.libertybikerchurch.com or call Jim at 1-757-376-3612


OKLAHOMA 405-409-5742

Advertisers Index – December 2011Big Daddy’z Cycles…………......................................................…19

Biker’s Depot…...............................................................................35

Cavelli’s…...................................................................................43

Dennis’ Truck & Trailer Repair ..................................................….20

Departure Bike Works ............................................................…….27

Down Under Limosine................................................................….35

Freedom Biker Church…................................................................30

Goochland Restaurant…................................................................35

Grove’s Winchester Harley-Davidson........................................…28

Grumpy’s...............................................................................…40

Hampton Roads Harley-Davidson................................................…1

Hooters .........................................................................................…7

Liberty Biker Church…...................................................................43

Oceana Cycles…............................................................................34

Rick “Preacher” Saunders Devotional.......................................…25

Southside Harley-Davidson........................................................…34

Timonium Motorcycle Show (Event).......Front Cover & Outside Back Cover

Tom McGrath’s Motorcycle Law Group ............…Inside Front Cover

I recently took a class at a conference on the parking of vehicles on highways and roadways during an emer-gency situation. It was extremely informative, these types of classes usually are. During one of the many videos that we viewed during the class, I noticed that there was a motorcycle police officer that was working an accident on a busy suburban boulevard, along with other emergency vehicles on the scene. Many emergency vehicles are the target of secondary collisions at the original accident

In The DayBACK

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Arlen Ness


Twas The Night Before Christmas‘Twas the night before Christmas, And not until Spring, Would an engine be running, not even a Wing.

The bikes are all sleeping, They’re covered and warm. Batteries are tended, nylon covers their form. My Bros were all nestled snug in their beds, While visions of new chrome danced in their heads.

And I in my doo-rag, bike jacket and boots, Out shoveling snow, and dreaming of scoots. Then from the horizon there came such a clatter, My shovel I dropped, what could be the matter?

Away up the hill, I slogged through the snow, Looked up at the sky; where’d all that noise go? A throb from the heavens like straight pipes so hearty, Gave Summers’ good thoughts, a loud bikers’ party.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a neat ‘02 Retro, Red trailer in rear. With a little old rider, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than Crotchies his Retro came on, And he whistled, and shouted, and sang out this song; “Now, Harley! Now, Big Dog! On Honda and Beamer! Now Vulcan! Now Injun! On Vict’ry and Trumpet!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now RIDE away! RIDE away! RIDE away all!” As small bikes that from the semis do fly, When they meet with the air blast, mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top that Ol’ X it flew, With a trailer of goodies, and ole’ St. Nick too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, The rumble and thunder of pipes that gave proof.

I ran to the house, boots thumping around, And in came St. Nick all bearded and round. Dressed all in black leather, from do-rag to boot, His chaps were all tarnished with road grime and soot.

A T-bag of goodies he’d flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His shades -- how they twinkled! his do-rag how scary! With chains intertwined, through skulls that were cherry!

His droll little mouth had done many a row, So the beard of his chin was as white as the snow. The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, The smoke had a strange smell; it gave him relief!

He had a broad face and a large fat beer belly, That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. He was tattooed and plump, a right jolly old rider, So I offered a cold Bud, thought what could be righter?

A wink of his eye as he downed that cold beer, Gave me to know I had nothing to fear. He spoke not a word, but went straight to my ride, And fixed it with Chrome, Horsepower and Pride!

And giving the peace sign with bikers’ good cheer, Took off for his Retro which was rumbling quite near. He sprang on the saddle, his gloves on the bars, A wheeley he threw then off towards the stars!

I heard him exclaim, as my chest swelled with pride...

“HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD RIDE!”

Author Unknown

Jeanette Lee ‘Black Widow’,

Rich, and Kim Coates ‘Tig’ of Sons Of Anarchy Vince ‘Nobody’ Doll of

Redneck Engineering

Coco

Randy Simpson

Chicaand Livia

Rich andIce-T

Vinnie, Cody, and gang

Hank Young

(L-R): Robert Fischer, Dana D’Oench, Tommy Graves and wife, Chica,

Sam Nehme, and Doug Keim

Jay Barbieri, Michele Smith,

and Dave Perewitz

Doug Keim

Russell Mitchell

Paul Yaffe, Rich, and Kendall JohnsonRon Finch

Eddie Trotta

J-WOWW “The Jersey Shore”

Rich and Jax S.O.A.

First 10 Years Average Attendance: 45,000!

Don’t Miss Out On The Next 10 Years!

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Sponsored by:

FEB. 10-12, 2012Maryland State Fairgrounds

(410) 561-7323www.cycleshow.net

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Thunder Roads Virginia Magazine - December 2011