RIDING POSTURE
Maintaining good posture in the saddle is an important component of good riding. Not only will paying attention to your posture help you stay comfortable over long distances, it will also enhance your control of the motorcycle by helping your body stay relaxed. Sit on the motorcycle in an upright position with your back straight, your head up, and your eyes focused on the roadway ahead. Ride with your knees and elbows turned
inward. They should be comfortably bent (not locked) so you can quickly move or respond to changes in riding conditions. Keep both feet on the footrests at all times so you can quickly position them to operate the rear brake pedal or shift lever. Grip both handgrips firmly with your wrists turned downward and knuckles pointed up. Make a conscious effort to keep your body limber and relaxed. Tensed muscles will cause you to fatigue quickly, and will lessen your ability to respond promptly to any obstacles that might appear in your path. A relaxed rider is a ready rider. The better your skills are, the more relaxed you’ll be. (Top) A wrist-down position on the throttle hand is recommended. It will help avoid overrevving the engine and will make it easier to reach for the front brake lever when it comes time to slow down.
In a standard turn, lean with the motorcycle for smoothness and stability. (Bottom right) In a slow, tight turn, such as turning around in a parking lot, it helps to counterweight by leaning in the opposite direction of the motorcycle and direction of the turn. Put pressure on the outside footrest.
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2,448 MILES OF ASPHALT AND INK
Route 66--the fabled ribbon of asphalt and concrete still winds its way across the country from Chicago to L.A. And it has also wound its way into the very soul of America. Although superseded in the 1970s by the Interstate freeways, the magic and mystic of the Mother Road has never died. Within the pages of the superbly illustrated book is a colorful illustrated history of the road and its landmarks of the famed RT 66.
Put that together with Jim Bush’s story of devotion and passion as he has dedicated a true epic of ink to the legendary RT 66 on his body to show tribute for all to see. We at Born to Ride are thankful and excited to tell both sides of the story.
ABOUT THE BOOK: It started in the heartland and originally ended in Los Angeles (not, contrary to myth, at the ocean). It carried truckers crossing the country, Okies fleeing the Dust Bowl, vacationers seeking the sun. It was Americas Main Street, the Mother Road, the Will Rogers Highway, and, at its dangerous curves, Bloody 66. Get your kicks on Route 66 with this wonderfully illustrated tribute to the best-loved highway in this car-loving nation. Michael Witzel shares his expertise and wealth of personal, archive, collector, and contributing photographer images in these pages, offering a nostalgic tour of the charms and oddities of this road through American cultural history.
Starting in Chicago and running to Santa Monica, this book
highlights the sights along the highway with historic and current photos in then-and-now pairings, and includes Route 66 postcards, road signs, trinkets, maps, brochures, and advertisements.
Here we see Route 66 as it was in its heyday and as it is now, the neon glamour of yesterday versus the ghost towns of today. Witzel and his wife, Gyvel Young-Witzel, recount the highways history, its role in popular culture, and its demise, as well as the individual stories of famous sights. Several profiles of those with close ties to the Mother Road, including the woman who played Ruthie Joad in the The Grapes of Wrath film, are included.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Michael Witzel and Gyvel Young Witzel are some of the best known American car culture historians. Michael is the author of Route 66 Remembered as well as a dozen other pop culture histories, including with co-author Gyvel, Soda Pop! and The Sparkling Story of Coca-Cola.
Michael Witzel and Gyvel Young-Witzel reside in Austin, Texas.
BOOK SPECS:
Title: Legendary Route 66: A Journey Through Time Along America’s Mother Road
Author: Michael Karl Witzel and Gyvel Young-Witzel
ISBN: 978-0-7603-2978-8
Published: October 2007
Publisher: Voyageur Press
Page Count: 256
Images: 252 color & 298 b/w photos
About one minute into listening to Jim Bush’s bike and tattoo story I knew it traveled beyond the norm, if norm is ever used in the world of tattooing and custom bikes. The Bolingbrook, Illinois resident is a walking and talking monument for a major slice of American culture. He’s covered, figuratively speaking, with nearly 2,500 miles of ink stretching from Chicago to Los Angeles. To be specific, he’s paved in the history of the famous Route 66. Route 66 is America’s first
transcontinental roadway and the subject of countless stories, books, and songs -- not forgetting that famous 1960s TV show of the same name.
Before we head down that road, a background check on Jim reveals that while he’s an engineer by training he’s an expert in “Loss Prevention” for commercial and industrial Fortune 500 companies. He adds, “It’s a career that pretty much will put you to sleep. It involves engineering work for an
insurance company that insures factories against business interruption.” Jim says its best to leave that explanation as it stands without delving further, and I agreed! My interest was his ink and bike story. The ink motoring down his arms is an incredible profusion of indelible images.
It all started years ago when Jim decided to get his first tat, something patriotic. “I was just going to get a little American eagle and that was going to be it.” He began researching
Did You Know: U.S. Route 66 (also known as the Will Rogers Highway, “Main Street of America” or the “Mother Road”)
tattoo artists for that one and only tattoo, but a chance meeting between two motorcyclists set things spinning in all together different direction.
“My wife Robyn, who rides her own 100th Anniversary Deuce, and I travel all over the country on bikes. One day I happened to be riding my ’87 Softail when I pull up beside a guy riding a 1990 Fatboy. We say hello, and he gives me his card saying he had just opened his own tattoo shop.”
This may not have been a chance
six-year period the Route 66 project began percolating. “I wanted to do a project on a grand scale, focusing on one theme, one topic and it was going to be on my upper torso. While people had done pieces about Route 66, nobody had ever thought of doing the entire route from Chicago to L.A.”
After seeing the cover of a Route 66 enthusiast magazine From Pier to Shining Pier, Jim decided to begin the project. The unofficial starting point for Route 66 was
happening but Fate. Jim pockets the card and brings it home. His wife looks at it and notices the name. It rings a bell, turns out she and Larry Brogan grew up as kids. Jim shows up at Tattoo City in Lockport, IL, gets his eagle tattoo and says good-bye to Larry who replied, “You’ll be back in six months.”
“Yeah, sure,” said Jim.
Larry’s “prediction” proved accurate and Larry returned first for some religious imagery, two sacred hearts, followed in sharp contrast by four outstanding pin-up girls on his legs
including one of Betty Paige. “Larry turned out to be an outstanding artist, and I’m completely loyal to him. He’s done all my work.”
Now it’s time to get to the pies de resistance, Jim’s arms. “When I was nine years old I took my first trip on Route 66 with my grandparents, and that was the genesis for my artwork. As I grew up I lived near Route 66; even though it’s long been decommissioned I still use parts of it with my work.”
After Larry had tattooed Jim over a
Chicago’s Navy pier and it’s termination point was the Santa Monica pier. “That was it. I’m going to start on my left wrist with Chicago and go through the eight states. I’ll pick all the icons, the hotels, the gas stations, the Mom and Pop restaurants, and go across my back and end at my right wrist with the Santa Monica pier.” That was the concept, but it took years for Jim to select all the myriad components, then took Larry about 18 months to draw up the entire project. He first took
contact paper and measured the dimensions of Jim’s arms and back, then composed all the hundreds of images. Each arm took twelve hours for the outlining, each completed in one day’s session. Then Jim began sitting for the coloring-in process, a true epic of ink. He sat one full day a week for a year straight. Jim counts 105 hours for his left arm and 95 for his right. In addition, his back is still a work in process and not yet unveiled. It would take a book or TV documentary to go
through all the images but here’s some highlights. On Jim’s left arm there’s a turquoise ’55 Chevy with a license plate that reads 2448 that commemorates Route 66’s total mileage. The Standard Oil gas station attendant on his right arm is the image of his grandfather. “That filling station opened in the early 1950s on Route 66. It’s still there, owned by my family. My grandfather’s sons still work there with my cousins.” And if you look carefully you’ll find a Ferris wheel on Chicago’s Navy pier. Walking up to that Ferris wheel, Larry has drawn the figures of Jim, his wife, and his youngest son. Jim’s art is amazing but Jim also has an award show winning Black Pan, but that is another story for a future
Do you have a memory of Route 66? Tell us about your Route 66 story. Email info@borntoride.com or call 888-795-5779.
Paul Garson
I hope everyone out there is enjoying this spectacular riding weather. What great mental therapy it is! For me I’d rather ride and think about business than sit in a conference room and think about riding. Having served over 12,000 clients in 13 states in the past 20 years I’ve finally realized what can help my clients most. Sure, I can make them millionaires but so what! What really matters I’ve come to realize is helping them design an estate plan with a will and living trust the easiest most cost-effective way. It’s a bucket list thing everyone puts off but will gain a benefit from. So, I say, “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” I have compiled some real stories on why you should take action and get yourself set up correctly using motorcycle situations. I hope you enjoy them on these few pages.
A Biker Helping Bikers
LET’S AVOID EVER HAVING TO SAY “I WISH I KNEW BACK THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW”
Our system is not in place …
The Inherited Iron that almost went to the wrong person.
When Raven Holloway’s father died, she didn’t expect to inherit much more than a pile of dusty old books and maybe a few rusty tools. Her father, Vincent, was known around town as the local mechanic with a dark, brooding presence—always dressed in black leather, always working on some project bike in his cluttered garage. What she didn’t expect was the legal nightmare that followed his passing. A week after the funeral, Raven was called to the lawyer’s once, where she learned that her father’s prized possession—his custom-built, jet-black Harley-Davidson—wasn’t as straightforward as she thought. Though Vincent had told her stories of how he built it from the ground up, no will was ever filed. Instead, the bike became entangled in probate, with other distant relatives suddenly laying claim to it.
One of them was her cousin, Derek—slick, greedy, and never close to her father. He claimed that he had “helped build the bike” and therefore deserved a share of its value. Another was Uncle Martin, Vincent’s estranged brother, who argued that as the oldest living relative, he should inherit everything. The lawyer, Mr. Harlow, laid out the situation. Without a clear will or proof of
ownership, the motorcycle would be evaluated as part of the estate and sold to cover debts—unless someone could prove rightful ownership. Frustrated, Raven went back to the garage, searching for anything that might help.
That’s when she found it—a small, locked toolbox with the initials V.H. engraved on top. Inside were faded receipts, including one from twenty years ago: Custom Frame - Purchased by Vincent Holloway. Another receipt showed Engine Parts - Ordered by V. Holloway. At the bottom of the box was an old photograph of her as a little girl, sitting on the Harley’s unfinished frame, her father grinning beside her.
On the back, written in his scruffy handwriting, was:
“Built for my girl—Raven’s Ride.”
Armed with the evidence, Raven returned to the lawyer. The receipts and photo, combined with testimonies from Vincent’s longtime friends, were enough to prove that the bike was always intended to be hers. Derek and Uncle Martin fought it but eventually, the probate judge ruled in her favor.
When the decision came down, Raven rode her father’s Harley through town, the wind whipping through her black hair, leather jacket tight around her shoulders. The bike wasn’t just an inheritance—it was a legacy, a reminder of the bond they shared, and a testament to the miles Vincent had traveled just to leave her something worth fighting for.
Our system is not in place …
The Harley in Probate
When old Tom Callahan passed away, his beloved 1972 Harley-Davidson sat untouched
in the garage, its chrome dull and its engine silent. His daughter, Emily, couldn’t bear to look at it—knowing it was the last piece of him left. A week after the funeral, a letter arrived from the lawyer: “No will found. All assets, including the motorcycle, must go through probate.” Emily’s heart sank. Without a will, Tom’s estranged brother, Gary, stepped in—claiming the Harley should be sold to cover debts. Desperate, Emily searched through her dad’s cluttered workbench, hoping to find something that proved it was meant for her. Finally, tucked inside an old leather saddlebag, she found a crumpled, grease-stained note:
“For Em—your ride when I’m gone. Love, Dad.”
In court, Emily showed the note—barely legible but undeniably his handwriting. With tears in her eyes, she spoke about their Sunday rides and how her dad always said the bike would be hers. The judge, moved by her words and the note, ruled in her favor. That evening, Emily took the Harley out, the engine roaring to life. As the wind whipped through her hair, she felt her dad’s presence—riding with her one last time.
How our system passed along a Harley probate free …
The Last Ride
Ben Carter never thought his father would leave him anything—let alone a motorcycle. Growing up, his dad was always on the road, chasing the horizon on his beloved 1969 Harley-Davidson, while Ben and his mom struggled to make ends meet back home. When the old man finally passed, Ben wasn’t sure how to feel—until the lawyer handed him a faded envelope with his name on it. Inside was a single key and a handwritten note:
”Son, I know
I wasn’t around much, but this bike was my freedom—my escape. It’s yours now. Take one last ride for me. There’s something I
left for you out at Blackwood Point. You’ll know where to look.”
Confused and a little angry, Ben drove out to his dad’s old cabin. There it was—rusty but beautiful, just like he remembered. After some tinkering, the Harley roared to life, its engine vibrating through his bones like a heartbeat. Riding through the open road, memories started to blur with the wind—the good ones, few and far between, but strong enough to remind him that his dad wasn’t just a wanderer—he was searching for something. When Ben reached Blackwood Point, he saw a small metal box buried under a pile of stones. Inside was a leatherbound journal filled with his dad’s thoughts, regrets, and dreams—things he never shared with anyone. Tucked in the back was an old photograph of them at a fair, with the words scribbled on the back:
”I never stopped loving you. I just didn’t know how
to stay.”
Ben sat on the edge of the cliff, the motorcycle cooling beside him, and realized that sometimes, forgiveness is found on the open road—where the past follows but doesn’t have to catch up.
Our system is not in place …
TOD created a costly legal headache
Jake Peterson was a motorcycle enthusiast with a collection of vintage bikes that he cherished more than anything. As he grew older, he wanted to make sure his prized possessions would go directly to his son, Lucas, without any hassle. To avoid probate, Jake added a Transfer on Death (TOD) designation to each motorcycle title, naming Lucas as the beneficiary. Unfortunately,
when Jake passed away unexpectedly, Lucas assumed the motorcycles would smoothly transfer to him. However, when he went to the DMV to change the titles, he discovered a problem. The clerk explained that the TOD designation was incomplete— Jake had never properly signed or filed the paperwork for two of his most valuable bikes.
To make matters worse, another complication arose. One of Jake’s ex-wives, Sarah, claimed that Jake had verbally promised her one of the motorcycles during their divorce settlement. Although it wasn’t written in the divorce decree, Sarah argued that the bike rightfully belonged to her. Now, Lucas found himself in probate court, battling not only to claim the motorcycles that didn’t have valid TOD designations but also to defend his right to the bike his father supposedly promised to Sarah. The judge had to sort through the conflicting claims and incomplete paperwork before deciding who would inherit the motorcycles. In the end, the judge ruled that the motorcycles without proper TOD paperwork had to go through probate, and Sarah’s claim was dismissed due to lack of evidence. Lucas finally gained ownership of his father’s collection, but not without months of legal headaches and unexpected fees.
It’s never too late to start planning for retirement. Time goes bye fast! There is not a one size fits all paint by the numbers solution. All of our situations are unique. You don’t need more money you just need a better plan. After having the privilege to serve tens of thousands of people over the years I can attest to the statement “That money won’t make you happy! But riding a motorcycle will! “
My passion is to help bikers in life changing ways. Hence the reason I created www.BikerHelpingbikers.com
RIDE APPALACHIA
JOIN US IN AUGUST AT THE BIGGEST MOTORCYCLE RALLY IN THE WORLD!
August is here and we are gearing up to “Throwdown at the THUNDERDOME” as we bring “The Best Riding in the U.S.! Period!” once again to the 85th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis South Dakota! This year at Sturgis we are bringing more to the Rally than ever before including many of our friends as well as many other things from our Mountains back home! This is the 85th after all and thanks to our incredible supporting community and our partners at the THUNDERDOME STURGIS, we are about to check another item off our bucket list and it is one you DO NOT want to miss if you’re attending the Sturgis Rally this year! As a Non-Profit organization (BOA) and an all volunteer motorcycle community (AMG) focused on bringing economic development to our Region through Motorsports Tourism and Events, bringing our unique charity based BIKE SHOW to the BIG SHOW is a dream come true for us here! Although we have done “FryDaddy’s MONSTER Old School Bike Show for Charity” across our Region and at many other Rallies here on the east coast like Thunder Beach in PCB Florida, This will be the first time we have done it at the STURGIS and we are pulling out all the stops to make it our biggest one ever and it is all for Childhood Cancer! There is only one place you will find us and our Backroads of Appalachia Trailer, Our BOA LIVE! SHOW, and “FryDaddy’s Old School Bike Show for Charity” sponsored by TopCoat Products at Sturgis that is only at THE THUNDERDOME!
Ever wish you could enter your Bike in a Bike Show but do not think you can compete with the Big Wheel Baggers and 100K Customs? Well that is exactly what makes our Bike Show different because everyone has a chance to Win at our shows and it is all up to our Celebrity Judges picked at Random! No one knows whose bike is who’s the way we do it and it is completely fair! Big Wheel Baggers, Rat Bikes, Garage Built, Vintage Bikes, Metrics, Ride Ins, and Customs all competing together for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and our “Best in Show” Prize pack filled with unique items from all our friends back home in Central Appalachia combined with things from our partners and sponsors! This is our “Old School RulesNo Classes Show” just like it used to be back in the day and it is going to be a MONSTER! We have had many riders Win at our shows that have never competed in a bike show before and that’s what makes it different! We have also had over 160 entries compete in our show all at once but at the 85th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this year we are going to fill that BIG TENT with more bikes than ever before and it is all going down on August 8th from 12-5 PM! Who will our Celebrity Judges Be? Come see us at Sturgis to find out and DO NOT miss your chance to Win and take home a memory that will last a lifetime while helping us raise awareness and donations for Childhood Cancer!
Bringing Appalachia to the Big Show and across the Sturgis Rally!
Everyone knows THE THUNDERDOME is our home away from home at Sturgis but we have a whole lot more planned as we give it “BOTH BARRELS” for our Region and promote our Free BOA Mobile Apps and “The Best Riding in the U.S.! Period!” back
Let’s Make some THUNDER inside THE THUNDERDOME at STURGIS!
home in KY, WV, VA, and TN across the Rally at virtually every location! We have many great things planned with our friends and partners at Sturgis this year across the Rally from the Full Throttle Saloon to The Buffalo Chip and that is just to name a few! With many appearances already confirmed and more coming you will be able to find us and our Traveling Hogs in just about every location throughout the week! We are the Hogmasters after all and this year at Sturgis if you get one of our Numbered Traveling Hogs you will be entered to Win in our Week Long 50/50 Raffle for Free! The World’s Only Biker Baby Yoda is getting a new home at Sturgis along with many other great prizes we will draw for on Friday August 8th at our Bike Show Awards Ceremony and let’s not forget about all that money! Raffle Tickets are $10.00 otherwise and you must come to our BOA Trailer to purchase them or bring your 85th Anniversary Sturgis Numbered Rally Hog for your free ticket! Do not forget to sign our BOA MOBILE WALL OF FAME and get your Free Copperhead Trail KY Patch and other great things we will be giving away this year at our Trailer! Show us you downloaded our Mobile Apps and get a special surprise! Get there early as our supplies are limited! All proceeds go to help Children in Treatment and Childhood Cancer! Check our schedule at www. backroadsofappaalchia.org/events to see where we will be each day promoting our Region at Sturgis this year with our partners! You can also find out by stopping by our BOA Mobile Welcome Center Trailer at the THUNDERDOME! See you there!
Our Events in August ONLY IN APPALACHIA!
We have several great events happening in August this Year after Sturgis including a brand new trail route and ride you do not want to miss! Ever wonder where “My Old KY Home” Is? Well we have answered that question with a brand new route that is sure to please everyone who comes here to visit our Region! The
answer is Barbourville KY and Thomas Walker State Historic Site! On August 23rd we will take our inaugural ride on this new route appropriately named “The Rooster’s Spur KY” but not just because it contains KY’s very first homesite but because it starts at Spur Oil in Barbourville KY at the foot of a GIANT ROOSTER! The Spur part is because it connects you to our other popular routes in the area like Revenue Runner HWY 92 and THE CHAIN! Stay tuned for this event to hit our Schedule sponsored by Bikers Info USA! Coming up on August 30th is our 3rd Annual Harlan Jeep and Bikefest in Downtown Harlan KY! This is our Annual Bike and Jeep Show with our partners at Harlan County Tourism and the Local Harlan Jeep Clubs! It is all part of Harlan’s Dog Days Festival and All Proceeds go to The Harlan County Sheriff’s Shop with a Cop Program!
With so many great things going on in August you really cannot go wrong regardless of which one you decide to attend and they are always for a good cause! Want to go it alone or maybe with your own group? Well it’s all sitting right here waiting for you with 56+ GPS enabled Routes which cover over 5000 Miles of the absolute best riding in KY, WV, Northeast TN, and Southwest Virginia has to offer and it just keeps growing! From our “Uniquely Appalachian” Points of Interest you will not find on any other Map to our entire region of riders standing by to help you plan your trip, Now you know what makes it THE BEST RIDING IN THE U.S.! PERIOD! Find all our unforgettable Trail Routes and our Events now by downloading our Free BOA Mobile App and looking in the Calendar or by joining our new communities on REVER! You can also find them by visiting us on Facebook or by visiting our website at www.backroadsofappalchia.org/events. You can also find them all on Cyclefish.com!
ONLY IN APPALACHIA!
Let’s Ride Appalachia!
— Jay Fryman (Frydaddy) Founder, Appalachian Motorcycle Group Backroads
of Appalachia Board of Directors
PUNCHING PEOPLE IS BAD (EVEN
IF THEY DESERVE IT)
Sometimes I sit back and think, “Wow, (insert name here) is such a dumbass. I’d really love to punch him square in the face.” If you’ve never had that thought, congratulations—you’re either a monk or heavily sedated. But here’s the real question: what stops you? Because let’s be honest, in a perfect world—no consequences, no police, no viral TikTok footage of you swinging like a malfunctioning windmill—you might just go for it. Yet most of us don’t. And why is that? Well, I’ve boiled it down to two solid reasons:
1. You don’t want to get your ass kicked. 2. You don’t want to go to jail. That’s it. That’s the whole moral compass right there. Survival and freedom. Let’s break it down.
Reason #1: You Don’t Want to Get Beat Down - Sure, in your head you’re an unstoppable warrior forged in the fires of Cobra Kai marathons. You’ve watched every Bruce Lee film, practiced roundhouse kicks in the kitchen, maybe even got into exactly one bar fight in 2007 (which ended in a torn hamstring and a $75 tab for broken glasses). But deep down, you know the truth: You are not Jackie Chan. You are not Bruce Lee. You are, at best, Carl from Accounting. And Carl, my friend, does not want to throw hands with the 6’4” linebacker in a lifted truck who just cut him off. Carl wants to live. Carl has a Costco membership and a golden retriever. Carl likes back massages. Let Carl live.
Reason #2: You Don’t Want to Go to Jail - This one’s a bit more universal. Jail sounds cool in movies—tattoos, push-ups, mysterious nicknames like “Blade.” In reality, it’s 23 hours of solitude and one hour of wondering how you ended up there because someone couldn’t figure out how a four-way stop works. And don’t forget what you lose. Not just freedom. Your job. Your house. Your family. Your dog. And nobody wants to lose the dog. Jail isn’t just “time-out for adults.” It’s a hard reset on your entire life. Over what? Because someone didn’t use their blinker? So What’s the Point of All This?
“Then some chucklehead in a Prius swerves into your lane while eating a burrito and texting his ex. Boom. Rage activated.”
Glad you asked. It’s one word. Two syllables. Starts with “road,” ends with “rage.” You’re on your bike. Sun’s out. Wind’s perfect. Creedence Clearwater is blasting in your helmet speakers. Then some chucklehead in a Prius swerves into your lane while eating a burrito and texting his ex. Boom. Rage activated.
But here’s the thing—everyone feels it. Everyone. From soccer moms to full-patch
club members. Stress builds. Life piles on. Work sucks. Home life’s a mess. And then you get behind the handlebars and someone acts like a moron on wheels and bam— you’re one blinker away from starring in your own episode of “Cops.”
We’ve all seen the videos: angry biker pulls over, starts yelling, maybe throws a punch, maybe throws a helmet. Looks cool in the moment. Then: jail. Or worse—some idiot pulls a weapon and now it’s tragedy instead of traffic drama. You get three minutes of rage-fueled satisfaction. And then? Thirty years of “I should’ve just flipped them off and kept riding.” So what do we do? We breathe. We ride. We crank the tunes and give the middle finger in spirit only. Because sometimes the best revenge is not giving a damn.
Let karma do the punching. She’s got a better left hook anyway. And remember what Mike Tyson said: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” That includes you. That includes the guy in the Prius. So keep your fists down, your rubber on the road, and your eyes on the karma train. It’s always on time. Stay safe, stay smart, and for the love of Harley—don’t punch people. Unless it’s Carl. Carl kind of had it coming. Nefarious James Patriot (Not on Probation)
— Nefarious James (Not on Probation) American Patriot
Leave behind the superficial selfie culture of today and take a photographic journey with Jim Flash Miteff, back to his 1960 s America; a time when people were real, emotions were raw, and life was lived on the edge. Prepare for a wild ride down the highway of history and into the rowdy and radical world of Bikers the legendary men, machines and myths of Miteff s generation. Not your typical “girl next door”, Beverly Roberts, the daughter of Outlaw biker Jim “Flash 1%er” Miteff, was riding on motorcycles before she could walk. When Beverly was as young as eight years old, while helping develop the pictures her father took of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, she dreamed one day these photos would be shared with the world. Now, more than 40 years later she has published a handpicked selection of her father’s photographs.
“Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.”
-Gilbert K. Chesterton
Portraits of American Bikers: Life in the 1960s is the first in the series of three books that make up the collection. Portraits of American Bikers: Inside Looking Out (the second book in the series) will be released in April of 2010. All three books in the Outlaws MC series are published by Flash Productions, LLC. The Outlaws Motorcycle Club began in McCook, Illinois USA in 1935 and is currently one of the largest motorcycle clubs in the world with chapters all over the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia. A retired stockbroker, Beverly owns the publishing company named after her late father. “It is my hope that in a sea of misinformation about bikers and their way of life, my father’s images will offer a glimpse of truth for those who seek it.”
THE MACHINES
“A Motorcycle is a bicycle with a pandemonium attachment, and is designed for the special use of mechanical geniuses, daredevils and lunatics.”
-George
Fitch, Atlanta Constitution, 1916
THE MYTHS
“Myth is the hidden part of every story., the buried part, the region that is still unexplored because there are as yet no words to enable us to get there. Myth is nourished by silence as well as by words.””
-Italo Calvino
Craven Moorehead The Mountain
It was a gloriously beautiful morning when I left my home in Florida for a short jaunt to a neighboring state. I was going to visit some friends in Tennessee and I was traveling alone. During most of my longer trips, I am often accompanied by other riders in a group whether it be a small crowd or a larger one. But sometimes it is enjoyable to go at your own pace and discover some of the sights, sounds and tastes of unfamiliar territory. There is almost no experience sweeter than that of taking in the beauty of Americana from the seat of a motorcycle and every opportunity to do so is a great exercise in the lifestyle we enjoy so much. Even if you’re like me and do it at a blistering pace on a 110 cubic inch bagger!
I was actually keeping the bike under 100MPH for the most part but it has a mind of its own when it is released and its mind wanders into the triple digit zone on a regular basis. The CVO was raring to go which means that there is little reason to try to control the beast underneath the seat. Traveling on the interstate highway system is precarious at times but there was an unusually scant amount of northbound traffic on this particular day. Although there was some moderate traffic on the interstate, you may have not seen me if you were there traveling the same direction. I wasn’t blasting lane to lane, dangerously close to other vehicles as a lot of riders
like to do nowadays. I was playing it safe as usual and trying not to scratch up the paint or other items on the bike. I remember once when I was crossing the bridge between St. Pete and Tampa a strong gust of wind blew me into the concrete barrier on the edge causing damage to an engine guard, a saddlebag lid, my girl’s foot and a good pair of boots. But that was a long time ago and a million miles behind me at this point. Although we kept going and were still among the living, that is one memory that will stick forever. But that is another story. …
I wanted to get across to Hwy. 41 before the sun set so that I could enjoy climbing the mountain on that 2-lane road while watching the sun go down. If you time it just right, it seems like it takes forever for that blazing orb to disappear because as you are going up - it is going down. Mission accomplished! At this point in the journey, I was simply enjoying the ride and because there was no reason to keep a hell-bent pace, I just leaned back and enjoyed the scenery, the sunset and the quaint cities that I encountered. Life seems different up on the mountain. It’s not that time has forgotten it, it’s more like ‘there was no reason to change the good ole days’ and life seems to move just a little slower up there. It seems that the people are friendlier and less stressed than they are in the big cities. I kinda like the laid-back lifestyle that the denizens up there enjoy, and I anticipate going back there again and again because I truly like a break every now and then. Of course, I am talking about Monteagle, Tennessee.
At the top of the mountain, this small town is not highly populated and not too much commerce or manufacturing is found there. It doesn’t matter. Apparently, people are happy in that locale and it provides a little peace and quiet when needed. Tracy City which is nearby holds a great bike rally once a year or so, and I’m sure you would enjoy it! It seems to me and my dusty old memory that I have written about this place and the trip before, but in my own defense I have been there several times and every trip is an adventure.
Anyhow, I do encourage everyone to get out there and travel whenever you get the chance. There is a lot of country to explore out there and simple adventures and pleasures await. Summer is coming and you may enjoy a back-roads trip to where ever it leads. It certainly couldn’t hurt! In fact, you may enjoy it. …
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KLAUDIA MEET
PHOTOS BY DANIEL GALLANT
I’m a polish entrepreneur who has a huge love for riding and adventures! With life being so unpredictable, riding motorcycles has always been my getaway from reality. I’ve been riding since 2018 and forever will be! The joy and freedom you get from riding, is just priceless. Jump on and rip the throttle yourself.
Bike: 2012 Harley Street Glide
Bike Owner: JBA Custom Cycles/James Bonner
Model: Klaudia Rose
Biker “Exploitation” is a term coined by producers, actors, and ultimately YOU the viewer. Not all biker films are actually geared at the (exploitation) or in other words, the “bad” angle of the biker lifestyle. Some of these actually “miss the target” and simply feature the motorcycle as secondary component to the plot. However, in literally every film involving bikers or the biker ‘lifestyle’, one thing you, as a viewer can count on is the presence of the Police. Electra Glide in Blue has the unique twist of actually using story of a motorcycle cop as the baseline. In this film, Blake plays a motor officer named John Wintergreen. His character is not really into being a ‘traffic cop’ as he has aspired to become a homicide detective. In my opinion, if you had to be a cop, what better job than cruising around on your departmentally funded Harley? But hey, this review isn’t about me, it’s about the film!! Back to the chase, and no code-4!
John Wintergreen patrols the rural Arizona highways with his partner “Zipper.” Wintergreen is laid-back but upright about enforcing the law, while Zipper is predominately lazy. Zipper likes busting Hippies (remember them?) even going so far as to plant evidence on a young ‘hippie’ during a search of his van. Wintergreen again proves to be the polar opposite of his partner Zipper, as he continuously states how much he hates riding his motorcycle, and Zipper’s only real dream is to own his own motorcycle. Zip spends a lot of time reading comic books, and eating junk food while John takes his job seriously. One of the things about Wintergreen that is out of place in this film is (in one scene) he is firing his pistol at an “Easy Rider” poster in the police firing range. … It gets worse! Crazy Willie, an
Movie Review
older local – perhaps homeless- person comes in contact with John and Zip near an old shack in the desert. They almost playfully chase Willie on their bikes and finally capture him. He tells John about his friend Frank who had committed suicide in the shack. John goes to the shack and discovers the body and believes the case is not a suicide, but a murder. The coroner later arrives and disagrees with John who was feverishly taking notes. After a shouting match with the coroner, in walks Detective Harve Poole, who admires Wintergreen’s savvy, and arranges for Wintergreen to be transferred to homicide as his ‘driver’ to help with the case. Harve and John return to the shack and find a large statue of Jesus, which is full of “Reds” and as the investigation continues, John and Harve interrogate a group of hippies, looking for a drug dealer named Bob Zemko. The theme of good cop – bad cop comes into play as Harve roughs some of the hippies up after John had nicely questioned them. John’s initial joy at being promoted is short-lived, as his relationship with Harve deteriorates after he finds out that John has been sleeping with ‘Jolene” (Harve’s girlfriend) and the waitress at the local bar. But when Jolene mocks Harve’s sexual prowess (implying that Harve is impotent) and brags that Wintergreen can “go three times in one morning” things just go downhill for our hero and he is demoted back to traffic.
After a wild motorcycle and car chase the pair capture and question Zemko. More good cop - bad cop scenes cause Wintergreen to eventually realize that Crazy Willie committed the murder; the victim was an old friend of his who had taken to selling the drugs and hanging around with a younger crowd. Jealous, Willie had murdered his friend and arranged it so it appeared to be a suicide. As usual there is some stolen money, and the search for this money is when Wintergreen discovers another terrible fact: Zipper’s dream was to own his own motorcycle, and had stolen the dead man’s drug money (initially blamed on Zemko) to pay for it. At Zippers trailer in the desert, the movie’s theme is uncovered when zipper shows John the “Electra Glide in Blue” sitting in the yard. Later, Zipper is drunk and begins firing his gun at Wintergreen, missing him but striking a random passer-by. Wintergreen then shoots Zipper in self-defense, and Zipper dies in his arms. Back in the desert on patrol, Wintergreen spots the same van that was featured earlier in the film, and he pulls it over. He recognizes one of the hippies as the very same one that Zip had planted the drugs on in the beginning of the film, and decides to let them go. They take off down the highway, but Wintergreen realizes that he still has the hippie’s Driver license in his hand. As he tries once again to pull the van over to return the license, the passenger opens the rear window and fires a shotgun killing Wintergreen. It’s a very sad ending to a really weird flick! For me, this is where the whole deal goes bad. The movie is loaded with plagiarism of the iconic film “Easy Rider.” Yeah, I believe that “Electra Glide in Blue” truly is a ‘cult-classic’ sort of piece, but the constant blasts from Easy Rider kinda turned me off.
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HOLD ON THERE MY FEATHERED FOWL
Whatssup my Born to Ride friends? It’s the eighth month of the year and it has been six months since I’ve been on this rock for 32 years. Almost every day Mike looks after me like it’s my hatch day. Taking me places, feeding me great food, showing me love and teaching this old bird new tricks.
The latest one has been me mastering a skateboard. It’s my new way of getting around Peggy’s Corral and other biker destinations without having to be on Mikes’ shoulder after getting off the Fat Bird 3. The only problem with this is people don’t see me on the ground. I told him I needed a tall flag and a little horn on my board, just like you humans use when you’re in wheelchairs or on bicycles and wanting to be seen. Mike breaks in, “For having such a little bird brain, you really are a brainy bird and jumping the gun about skateboarding. You’ve just started this new avenue of getting around and barely using your wings.
But it sounds like to me that you’re not wanting to be on my shoulder anymore.”
I cackle, “Listen up daddy dearest. It’s not that I don’t want to be on your shoulder. It’s just that you stop and talk to everyone and I get nowhere fast. Now I can get around and stop when and where I want to. Plus, I don’t have to do stupid pet tricks for every new Tom, Dick and Harry that you meet!”
Mike replies, “Hold on there my feathered fowl. Just because you’ve got another set of wheels doesn’t mean you can act like a young adult and just take off when you want to. The last time that happened you had to get a Tuber (turtle Uber) ride home and we never found your roller skates.”
I squawk, “As you get older your CRS (Can’t Remember Shit) really kicks in. I told you I gave them to that Tubers’ mother so she could get around better in her old age in exchange for a ride home. That day I went way too far down the road, got tired and you told me to be back before dark!”
Mike breaks in, “OK my feathered freeloader. I’m sorry that my CRS has been kicking in more lately. But it’s all because I’ve been having to keep up with you and your adventures. I’m going to invest in a GoPro and audio recorder just to remind me of half the stuff we do and say to each other when we’re out in public. I thought about hiring a documentary crew to follow us around so I wouldn’t have to do all that work. But, it would require you and I being on Clearwater Beach five days a week getting 10 bucks a picture with you perching on other people’s shoulder to pay for it.”
I screech, “Wait one minute my blonde bobble head of a daddy. I may be your golden egg for retirement but I don’t think I’m ready for that kind of full-time action again. The last time we did something like that was when you took me on the Fat
3 riding the
While we were visiting Mallory Square, you let a manager from the Hilton hire us for a two day gig. That was sheer pandemonium and the line of people never stopped. I spent hours going shoulder to shoulder, giving everyone their Kodak moment. We barely hung out with our friends or enjoyed all the shenanigans on Duval Street and inside Sloppy Joe’s. In the end the manager only gave us half the tips and a two night stay for all that work.”
Mike responds, “Yes my feathered moment maker. That was our first real paying gig and I handled it very poorly. It was two very long days dealing with the parrot paparazzi. Plus I didn’t do it on my terms, but his. That will never happen again.”
I cluck, “Yes, that was a learning curve and you have gotten better on the business side of things. Let me finish the story while you pull the scoot out of the garage. We both need a little breeze therapy. You need to get my wings in the wind, your knees under the keys and the Fat Birds’ wheels rolling down the road.”
Bird
Petersons Poker Run from Miami to Key West.
CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLISTS ASSOCIATION
This last month my wife and I were traveling out of state. It was summer and we were taking a summer vacation. It was a trip leaving Florida to go up north into New York and Pennsylvania. We were visiting family and continued to our CMA national rally. We had the privilege of having our son, his wife and our granddaughter along for a portion of the trip. Our son has his own bike and so we had my bike and his on this trip. My son and I were able to get away for some beautiful motorcycle riding in that region of the country. We both have Sena systems in our helmets and were able to communicate with each other.
Let me describe a Sena or similar system in a full face helmet. It is a voice activated, noise canceling, system with headphones right inside the helmet. People have told me that they do not hear any road noise when I call them on the phone. So, while riding with my son we had a very peaceful time of talking during our rides down the winding roads of New York. Our words were clear at an appropriate volume. We could discuss directions, road obstacles, destination plans or whatever else came to mind. It was a time of focused deliberate communication that was much different than in the house with so many other distractions. You see, we were by ourselves with no interruptions.
Thinking about the private communication with my son reminded me about what Jesus said regarding prayer. He
spent a lot of time alone praying to God while He walked on earth. When asked about prayer He spoke the following in Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” We too should have a focused deliberate time of prayer with our Father who is in heaven. Can you find a place without distractions? Prayer is a wonderful time to be alone with God.
Teach’s Takeaway,
- We love to communicate with our loved ones. So too does God want to have time with us.
- Deliberate focused prayer allows God to speak to you as much as you are speaking to Him,
- God always hears our prayers.
We are created to communicate and fellowship with others. It is easy to talk to our family, friends, and those around us. Interestingly, our spirit longs for this fellowship with our heavenly father. When we connect with God, we can receive so much. Prayer allows us to release our burdens, receive revelation, guidance and wisdom, be strengthened as well as healed, and so much more. Take time out from each day to pray and receive from your Heavenly Father. You will be glad you did. Ride together, ride safe and ride on.
— Fellow Soldier in Christ, Wayne (Teach) Masiker Christian Motorcyclists Association wayne.masiker@att.net
