CMA Monthly “Sword & Shield Riders” Chapter Ride to the 78th Annual Hollister Independence Rally 2025
Hollister, CA
Every year on the Fourth of July, for two days, one of the largest US biking events is held in the sleepy little town of Hollister, CA. and our CMA group attended this raucous spectacle. For decades, the town of Hollister has hosted this annual event for 78 years (returning after an 8-year hiatus) and is known as “The birthplace of the American Biker”. Hollister’s biker legacy can be traced back to the infamous 1947 motorcycle rally that sparked a cultural movement that is still celebrated today. The event was forever cemented upon the national conscious with the debut of the 1953
original outlaw biker film, “The Wild One”, starring Marlon Brando, as the leader of a biker gang that gets kicked out of town on the Fourth of July weekend for stirring up trouble in their quiet little town.
An impressive scenic adventure was in store for our large group of approximately twelve riders that Saturday morning on the 5th of July, and included a couple of chase vehicles, a bike trailer, comprised of members coming along to bring up the rear in case of bike trouble. Our CMA Clovis Chapter and friends met up early for a quick breakfast, then held
Gary Roberts President of Sword & Shield Riders Clovis, CA Chapter CMA
Sales
559-572-3573
richardccbiker@gmail.com
our traditional group prayer and our Road Captain Levi led a pre-ride meeting to go over riding logistics, routes, and riding safety protocols. We headed west through the winding Central Valley countryside through Firebaugh, then traveled north towards Interstate 5 and up into Gustine, just west of Los Banos, for a quick gas pitstop and coffee break. As a riding group, we are limited in our stops and travel distances by the smallest sized gas tank of our riders, but no one complains because everyone always needs to pee due to our massive coffee and water consumption on the road.
We finally arrived at our destination in downtown Hollister
just after noon, we were all hot but ready to eat and especially get something to drink (non-alcoholic of course). We headed over to the quaint downtown San Benito Street central drag where all the action was taking place. Tens of thousands of rumbling loud piped bikes and their blaring stereos filled the crisp air, and we loved it! The
main thoroughfare was jam packed with festive bikers of every sort, style, and creed. Harleys, Indians, trikes, and various sport bikes were buzzing throughout the town in a continuous loop weaving through the city like angry but happy bees. Vendors were offering every type of motorcycle accessory you could think of
- customizing bikes while you wait, selling event clothing, boots, hats, you name it they were hawking it during the two-day event! The food vendors and restaurants were selling out everything that they had, and the bikers kept pouring into town from everywhere, from all over the world! The police and security were doing their best to keep everything under control and most bikers cooperated. Parking was and is always an issue, as our group had to park way off the grid on a side street and several riders in our group got parking tickets where it appeared to be a safe place for us to park, so go figure. I guess a city needs to make a living too, just not at
our expense. Lesson learned. We ate our lunch at the footsteps of the Hollister Methodist Church, an old brick relic from architectures past. We enjoyed the banter recapping the day’s events in the shade, relishing the camaraderie of another riding adventure together. We all decided to take one of three different routes home as sub-groups depending on when everyone wanted to get home. The first group blasted back on the shortest way home directly on Highway 156 to 152, while our second group took the southern scenic route home through
the sleepy tiny coastal mountain desert towns of Tres Pinos, Paicines, and Panoche, across Interstate 5 and eventually headed east into Mendota for gas. A third group adventured over to Monterey Bay for seafood and to behold the beautiful Pacific Ocean before heading home. The future looks very bright as we travel together on our riding adventures as we share the open road with our wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ. I personally invite you and your friends to join us on our next rides coming up this summer and into Fall, we would love to get to know you and ride together. May the Lord Bless you and keep you safe and healthy!!!
(Facebook Groups: Sword & Shield Riders CMA and LVCC Motorcycle Riders)
Hope After Heartbreak:
Help Brittney & Jennifer Become Moms
For over four years, these two incredible women have been on the most emotional journey imaginable—filled with happiness, hope, and heartbreak—as they’ve fought to start a family through IVF.
They’ve poured every ounce of love and every dollar of their savings into this dream. Two full rounds of IVF, countless appointments, hormone treatments, tests, procedures, and waiting…all in the hope of bringing their baby home.
Brittney and Jennifer are meant to be mothers. Their strength, devotion, and resilience have carried them through unimaginable loss—and they still believe in the joy and love that comes with parenthood. We believe with your help, that dream can still come true. To learn more or donate, please visit the link to the right.
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$3.5k goal
Life is a Drag... Race
Keri Foss Jastrzemski WRITER
Awe Drag racing, a passion I have had since I was a girl. The sounds, smells of burning rubber, race fuel and more. The shear horsepower of the machines going down the track. The race bug bit me and has yet to leave. In fact, I dove right in and made it a huge part of my life. My love for motorcycles started young too. Something about the freedom of seeing a Harley riding down the highway looked so good. The bikers riding, going on a run, the brotherhood of the road. Not to mention my first biker crush was a friends Dad, a 1% biker. Bearded, tall, leathers and an old shovelhead when I was 8. I was hooked and well have married a couple and dated many over the years. After going to an All Harley Drag Race Association race 25+ years ago with Fresno’s own Clyde Rawlings I was like damn this is fun. Bikes, racers, fans and speed. I could get used to this. So, I did. Going to races, learning the ropes and now here I am. I am a race director, marketing director and race promoter for a all drag bike race association Western Pro Extreme Assn. I also run a race promotion company called Cali Rose Motorsports Events. I help teams with marketing, social media and more. In fact as I write this, I am leaving in the morning for a NHRA race to help support a new pro stock motorcycle team. So, what does it take to be a promoter, hustle! Putting on races takes months of planning, seeking sponsors, working with tracks, racers
and so much more. I love every minute of it. It is a labor of love, and I don’t make much money. Every race is a gamble. All the planning, marketing, advertising etc. comes down to race weekend. Always hoping for a good racer turn out and of course fans. Then running the race, keeping it running smoothly. Making sure the racers make it to the lanes on time. Helping the tower and making sure the track staff are all good. I could go on and on about what happens behind the scenes of a drag race. All while smiling at the racers and fans.
Oh, if you have not noticed I am a woman. Yep, chicks crew, race and more these days in the race world. It is still a male dominated world ,but us women are making our mark and staying around. One funny thing is most men assume a woman in motorsports is either married, a girlfriend or family of a racer. Um no, single women are there too. I constantly have to tell people, um no that is not my husband when I work with male racers, teams etc.
Well, that is a bit about me, just a girl that loves racing and jumped in there. I am grateful to so many that have taught me the ropes, which gave me a chance. I get to do something I love, meet great people, travel and more. I am a lucky lady that hopes to see you all at a race sometime. See you in the pits.
BIKER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY FOR CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
Central California
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Clovis
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James (Jim) Pierson
JANUARY
29TH,1952 – JULY 16TH, 2025
IN THE CARE OF Boice Funeral Home
It is with deep sorrow and love that we announce the passing of James (Jim) Allison Pierson, born in Hutchinson, Kansas, residing in Fresno, California, who left us on July 16, 2025, at the age of 73. Jim was a devoted husband, a loving father, a loyal brother, and a true craftsman. He is survived by his beloved wife, Terri Lee Pierson (Terri Hendricks of Lady Bikers of California), and their five children: Wendy Lynn Jordan, Shanda Lee Abney Pierson, Kansas Ilene Reedy, Jimi Lee Pierson, and Tomi Lee Pierson. He is also remembered fondly by his siblings John (Butch) Pierson, Jesse Pierson and Jacqueline (Jackie) Thompson, along with 17 grand kids, 6 great-grand kids and many extended family members and friends.
A skilled carpenter by trade, James (Jim) could build or fix anything with his hands and a little bit of sawdust. Whether he was woodworking, riding motorcycles, or camping under the stars, he lived life with grit and heart. He had a rare gift for creating beauty from raw materials both in his craft and in the way he loved his family.
James (Jim) was hardworking, full of love, and without question the strongest, bravest man we have ever known. He led by example, lived with integrity, and gave all of himself to those he loved.
His presence was a steady rock in our lives. He will be missed deeply, remembered always, and honored forever.
Services will be held on August 16, 2025 at 11:00 am at First Free Will Baptist
Church of Clovis, 135 N Peach Ave, Clovis, CA 93612.
We think it’ll be about 1 o’clock not 11 and there will be food and open mic after the ceremony and anybody or any clubs that want to ride. So, we’re not positive so they do need to keep checking in with the Boise funeral home Terri is looking for someone that wants to ride with Jim‘s ashes on the back of one of his friends and any ladies any clubs anybody that wants to ride him from my house off of West and Ashland over to the church in Clovis off of peach and remind him to check again in a week to make sure that the time is right and that any other information we have like the link to watch it live on Facebook.
I’ll take any riders that wanna ride just keep watching the link and I’ll let them know
what time and they can stay for the service and have pizza later or something or they can ride on Either way. I’ll take it and I don’t care if they’re in a car or on the bike he’s gonna have the ride of his life. He would be very grateful to you for this. All of us that knew Jim, knew he was a good caring man and Loved to Ride, and he would be Honored by those who came out and Ride along. You can be on your Bike or in a Car. Just come along and helps us give our Brother his Final Ride on Earth. He will be Riding in Heaven with no more Pain. In lieu of flowers and donation, give to the bikers down or something like that or a biker group that needs donations like Warriors of the Wind.
