Thunder Roads Texas - August 2013 by Thunder Roads Texas

It’s not about the bike... it’s about the RIDE!

7 Years and Still Going! The ONLY rally still at Lake Somerville!

August 2013 ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Also this month:

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Special Events Section Motorcycle Safety

The NEW home of

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NORTH - NOW “CENTRAL” Always the 3rd Thursday

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Contents 

August 2013 On the Cover 32 7 Years and Still Going! Also This Month

34 Motorcycle Safety is EVERYONE’S Responsibility 20 SPECIAL Events Section (through page 35)

Regular Features

8 Letter From the Editor 10 Two Wheel Thunder TV Review: Decibel Killer Mufflers with Removable Baffles 12 Pig Writes: Pigs & Plugs 14 Pink Thunder: Rally Food 18 Ride Map: Rally Loop (Lake Somerville Area) 38 ThunderCam 40 Joker’s Wild 42 Biker Band Corner: Interview with Lance Lopez

Resources

23 Event Listing CENTER - Pull-Out August 2013 Calendar

43 Biker Friendly Listing 35 42

On the cover: Lake Somerville; Bike courtesy of VIP Apparel’s Lonnie Fitch.

OWNERS

ADVERTISING SALES

Bob Cooney CEO ThunderRoadsBob@yahoo.com

Shelly “TX Dragonfly” Horan Managing Editor Shelly@ThunderRoadsTexas.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Points Across Texas Administrator

Randy McCamey Harley.Doc@hotmail.com Monica Clark Monica@ThunderRoadsTexas.com Thunder Roads Texas Main Office 281.866.8149 Shelly@ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Don “DB” McGovern - Dallas/Fort Worth ThunderRoadsDon@gmail.com 972.896.1919

Bill “Shovelhead” Barnes ThunderRoadsBill@yahoo.com 321.960.6161

Darlene “Lady Diva” Hanson Dallas/Fort Worth ladyd1va@hotmail.com * 817.680.8121

Laura Mae Benson - Houston Laura.ThunderRoadsMagazine@gmail.com 979.481.9642

Aaron “HookemHaulin” Gerbert Austin Facebook.com/hookem.haulin

Traci “Sweet N Low” McClure - East Texas Traci.McClure@yahoo.com * 936.671.9567

Chere “FlipFlop” Laine Corpus Christi 361.215.4661 ChereLaine@ymail.com

Bonnie Estes - Austin/Hill Country AngelWing1555@yahoo.com 512.673.6679 Shelly “Cricket” Silva San Antonio/Hill Country CricketGOC@yahoo.com * 210.445.2477

Thunder Roads Texas Bob Cooney & Shelly Horan State Edition Owners 4631 Cashel Glen Drive Houston, TX 77069 281.866.8149 ThunderRoadsTexas.com

FEATURE WRITERS

Shelly “Cricket” Silva, Pink Thunder (Feb/May/Aug/Sep) Terri Williams, Pink Thunder (TMRA2; Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec) “Pig” Meinhardt - Pig Writes

CORRESPONDENTS

Chris Hensley San Antonio chrishensley.ch@gmail.com

Thunder Publishing, LLC Toni & Brian Shearon National Founders 1528 Matlock Drive Chapmansboro, TN 37035 615.792.0040 ThunderRoadsMagazine.com

Layout & Design Shelly Horan Top of Mind Marketing 832.585.4045 Top.of.Mind.Marketing@gmail.com

Joyce Siegert - D/FW; Dean Downey - Amarillo; Mary Taylor - Austin; Don Brewer - Livingston; Donny Phillips - LaPorte; Mike “Biker” Boone - Houston; Jason English - East Texas; Don McGovern Terrell/DFW; Jason English - Rusk; Donna Herrin - Edinburgh; Leah Hanscom - Piney Woods; Ann Edwards - El Paso; Chere Laine Corpus Christi.

Thunder Roads Magazine® is Trade Marked and may not be used in any way without consent from Thunder Publishing. Thunder Roads Magazine of Texas is published by Thunder Roads Texas. 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 error, slander of any group or individual, failure to produce any issue as scheduled due to reasons beyond our control, any and all suits for liable, plagiarism, copyright infringement and unauthorized use of a person’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®, Thunder Publishing, or Thunder Roads Texas. Publisher does not promote the abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Ride & live responsibly. Thank you. Thunder Roads Magazine®, Thunder Publishing, and Thunder Roads Texas. Thunder Roads Texas is a wholly separate entity from Thunder Publishing LLC and Thunder Roads Magazine editions in other states. As such, content that runs in other states’ editions has no relation to the content in Thunder Roads Texas. Unless specifically stated, Thunder Roads Texas does not endorse, and is not responsible for, any content in other Thunder Roads Magazine editions.

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It’s been a rough summer around here. Catching up from July’s issue being tardy… and making sure this issue is out on time takes a lot of work! Summertime is usually a quiet time as far as rallies and events are concerned. Some say it’s because it’s too hot. Others say it’s because so many riders have families and are doing the summer-vacation-thing. It’s probably both, plus a whole host of other reasons. Suffice to say, we know you’re still riding! Thunder Roads Texas continues to fly off the shelves, even if tardy, which indicates you’re riding in fine fashion! I’d like to start something new… in the pages of our Thunder Cam pages, I’d like to have a themed area. September is Fall Hat Month. Send in pictures of you wearing your CRAZIEST hats by August 10 to be included in the special themed section of our ever-popular reader photo pages. To get ahead of things, I’ll throw October out there… it’s National Chili Month. Send in your favorite recipes and photos by September 10 and let’s see what we can do! This month, we sponsor the new Biker Pallooza in Houston – August 17. Brought to you by Strip Club Choppers and VIP Apparel, it should be a great day! Bob and I will be there… so come say “hi”! In September, the fun REALLY begins! We’re sponsoring the Texas Rally (Lake Somerville; September 12-15), the Erath County Relay for Life Ride (Stephenville; September 21), and Revvin’ for the Ribbon Rally & Concert (DFW Area; September 21). Of course, there are more coming in October and November – so watch next month, our website, and our Facebook page for updates. And my monthly reminder… please tell advertisers that you see them in Thunder Roads Texas. And for those favorite haunts around you that are not advertisers, ask them “why”? Then give them my number and email address. We’ll take good care of them! We can’t bring this magazine to you every month – for FREE – without our advertisers! Ride safe... and ride with THUNDER! Shelly “TX Dragonfly” Horan Editor / Owner, Thunder Roads Texas and Owner, Top of Mind Marketing Shelly@ThunderRoadsTexas.com AUGUST IS AMERICAN ADVENTURES MONTH Send us pictures and/or stories about YOUR American Adventure!

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Decibel Killer Mufflers with Removable Baffles ave you ever heard the saying, “Third Time’s a Charm”? Well, it may be a charm for most people but I don’t fit well in the category of “most people”. You see, I’m one who keeps searching for something different – the latest in technology that can improve my bike. With that being said, you may understand why my local dealership truly knows that I don’t fit the norm. As a bit of history; we here at Two Wheel Thunder TV do many things in and with the motorcycle lifestyle. We work with some of the Sons of Anarchy as well as on the new movies “Dead In 5 Heartbeats” by Sonny Barger and “Easy Rider: The Ride Back”. Then there’s the testing of products to insure they live up to what the manufactures say they will do. So when my friend Kenny Price, Founder and CEO of Samson, asked me to test the Samson Decibel Killer Mufflers with Removable Baffles and End Caps, I said to him, “I have had five different exhaust systems on this bike, now you want me to put on the sixth set? Can you image the look on my dealer’s face when I ask them to put on yet another new another set of pipes?”

The Samson pipes come with O2 sensor ports and accept original equipment manufacturer (OEM) aftermarket sensors. As far as mounting, they are easy to put on your bike, slightly louder than stock mufflers, and when you remove the baffles, Game on Baby. The Samson mufflers come with a one-year warranty. Another cool thing is that True Dual High Performance Head Pipes are available in Ceramic Black! Samson is the leading manufacturer of Harley mufflers offering a vast selection of styles that offer performance, perfect looks, and terrific sound. From straightthrough wide open performance to mufflers that reduce sound levels without any loss in performance, Samson has something for everyone. Patented muffler design creates negative pressure that scavenges exhaust gases for increased horsepower, torque, and fuel mileage. So, after the Decibel Killer mufflers were put on, I rode over 2,000 miles and the bike ran and sounded GREAT! And with the baffles installed, I could have ridden in a funeral parade and no one would have criticized that “biker with loud pipes”. It takes less than 15 minutes to put the baffles in or take

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them out. Kenny Price, founder of Samson Exhaust, is the inventor and leading innovator of numerous patented highperformance exhaust systems. His beginnings were humble – he was just a teenager whose only aspiration was to tweak more power out of his 1956 Vespa. Kenny’s experience with building pipes started with building his own chopper, but when his friends saw how well that turned out they asked him to build pipes for their bikes, too. It wasn’t long before he was building exhausts for many bikes in the area and earned his nickname the “Godfather of Pipes.” Samson is the world leading manufacturer of exhaust systems, mufflers, and accessories for Harley-Davidson and metric motorcycles. Samson always has, and will continue, to set a standard for the motorcycle industry. Samson’s styles and designs are copied worldwide. Even though many exhaust systems may look the same, nothing compares to a Samson exhaust in style, performance, sound, and quality. Kenny Price, CEO of Samson says, “From the very beginning many years ago, we set out to build the very best motorcycle exhaust systems. Being a biker in the motorcycle industry does give us a very sharp edge on the competition. I started making exhaust for Harley’s back in 1969. This has been my life.” Every exhaust manufactured by Samson is dyno tested for the ultimate in peak performance before going into commercial production. Samson has literally hundreds of different styles to choose from and they have all the styles available for Harley’s new 2013 model lineup. Samson Decibel Killer Mufflers with Removable Baffles and End Caps can be found at many dealerships in the great State of Texas and, if for some reason your dealer does not carry Samson’s, you can find everything you need at SamsonUSA.com or you can call them toll free 888.572.6766.

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Pigs & Plugs op-a-top and bring on the hangover cause I’m back again. You ain’t gonna’ believe this one, so listen up. Back in May, Rainman and I were down at the Texas State HOG Rally in San Antonio. We were walking along checking out all the different vendors. Well, maybe it was Rainman doing all the checking because the only vendor I was looking for was the beef jerky guy. I needed a stick of dried cow butt to go along with my beer. Well, we came along this one particular vendor selling these super-duper spark plugs. I hopped up on his table and proceeded to ask him if he knew where to find the jerky vendor.

Father’s Day looming at the time, it seemed I may have found the perfect gift for Rainman. So I bought a set of plugs for our bike. I was off to find Rainman and another cold one when I realized I just spent my last dollar on plugs and I didn’t have any money left for beer let alone a piece of dried

You know how all those vendors are, they think they always have the next best thing to Elvis and this guy was certainly no different. He was a rattling on about some new fangled plugs and about how they would increase our engine performance and all that mess. I asked him just as plain as the day, “Dude, do you know where the jerky vendor is?” He seemed to have a little trouble hearing what I had to say since he just a kept on a rattling ‘bout them plugs. I was afraid my beer was going to get warm by the time he finished. “Dude, nice plugs. Jerky vendor, have you seen him?” I insisted. No response. I looked around for Rainman so he could pose the jerky question to the spark plug dude, but he had disappeared in the crowd. I started to make my way down off the table when all of the sudden ZAP! I was airborne. I jumped about a foot high off the table from a tremendous shock I just took in the left butt cheek. I don’t know what hurt worse, the shock itself or everybody in the crowd laughing at me for getting tasered. “Sorry there little buddy, I didn’t mean to getcha’ like that. Hi, my name is Mark A. Walker of Incognito Products.” “What the hell was that?” I shouted back at him. “Oh, that was my display to show how much stronger my Pulstar Plugs are than regular spark plugs for the enhanced ignition in your engine.” “Pull your plug – ignition – what the *!#?! Look, all I want to know is where the jerky vendor is. I need a stick to go with my beer,” I said. And that folks, was where I made my mistake. I should have just turned and run off like any smart pig would do. But instead I allowed myself to get trapped by the plug vendor. He seemed all too happy to inform me that there was no jerky vendor at the rally and that he was even more than happy to let me know he was an authorized distributor of Pulstar Pulse Plugs. Mark wasted no time repeating his whole sales pitch just for me once again. I pretended to be interested (I didn’t want to be rude ya’ know). Well, maybe it was more like I just wanted to see how many words he could say in a single breath (I lost count at 173). But I have to say this; he sure made a convincing argument for them new spark plugs. With

cow butt. I was pissed – pissed at myself because I hate it when I do things like that! Later that night I gave Rainman the new plugs for the bike. He was all happy about the early Father’s Day gift but he was also disappointed I had forgotten Mother’s Day. Great, what a guilt trip! But then Rainman did a little research online about these newfangled plugs and found that I had made a really good purchase. The plugs are made by Pulstar. They are not really spark plugs as some would call them, they’re more like a … well I’m not really sure what they are. I don’t understand all the technical stuff behind them other than they don’t burn hotter than a regular spark plug; they just ignite the fuel faster. The next morning we installed the plugs in our Honda VT750. With a turn of the key, the push of a button, the bike fired off a full stroke faster than normal. Now that was impressive! Everyone knows how a vendor can come up with some pretty amazing sales pitches about how their products are better than anyone else’s, and Mark was certainly no different. We also know that a slick sales pitch proves nothing. All the technical data and dyno tests in the world prove nothing. Only the open road will show whether a product works or not and so that is what we did. We took the new plugs out for a test ride to see how they improved the performance of our bike. I was half expecting to find that this Pig was cheated out of his beer money by a very slick vendor. What we got instead was an amazing difference in the performance of

fun to ride.

our bike. At low speeds we found the subtle vibration we had in the lower end was gone. The motor spun and fired-off much smoother producing more torque. When we got onto the highway, the acceleration improved by a good 20%. The bike was more

Rainman, being the type of rider who likes to use the full potential of the power-band between shifts, claims with the new Pulstar Plugs that we were getting close to 10 additional MPH between shifts. At one point on the highway we shot past an 18-wheeler like he was standing still. We pulled into the town of Seguin and rode through the downtown area. At low speed downtown traffic, our bike also behaved much better. Rainman rode a few times in too high of a gear and noticed that the motor didn’t really bog down too much. The bike was quick off the red lights and was smooth and quite through the shifts. I have to admit, it looks as though I wasn’t cheated at all, and in fact, had made a very wise purchase with my beer money. If you are looking to improve the power and performance of your bike, auto, truck, or sports equipment, Pulstar has a plug to fit them all. I would highly suggest you go on over to Mark’s website at Pulstar-IncognitoProducts. com and check out all their technical data for yourself. You can even e-mail Mark if you wish at IncognitoProducts@ yahoo.com. Tell Mark that Pig sent ya’ and he will give you a promo code for 10% off your purchase of a set of plugs (use promo code: giveme10). Give them a try, you’ll be impressed. Well friends it’s time for me to go now. I hope to see you soon out there on the road soon. ‘Till next time, Ride HARD or Stay Home.

You can contact Pig or Rainman by e-mail at pig8080@LIVE.COM For more of Pig’s wild adventures, check out his blog at pigspage.wordpress.com or follow him on Facebook.com/pig.meinhardt Page 12

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Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

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Rally Food Shelly “Cricket” Beatty (Feb/May/Aug/Nov) ith rally season in full swing and many fall rally’s to come, I thought I’d share some of my rally experience a bit different than the typical, “how much fun I had”. For those who attend bike rallies, I find that food often seems to be a topic of interest. When you go to a rally you basically have three choices: 1) eat out, 2) eat rally food, or 3) eat what you bring.

Option 3: Bring your own food! It saves money but takes some planning, more packing, and you have to be willing to cook it. Ok, I’m going to be honest, I hate to pack and unpack for a rally, I hate to clean up a cooking mess, and I hate to slave over a stove when I’m out trying to relax and have fun. But this choice is my number one choice! Let me explain.

A small plastic tote filled with plastic spoons, toothpicks, Styrofoam cups for coffee and chili, paper towels, extra foil, a plastic table cloth and clips to hold it on the table, salt and pepper, my camping coffee pot without the guts, zip lock bag packed with sweetener packets, and a zip lock bag of coffee bags (like tea bags) for individual cups of coffee.

Option 1: Many of us prefer eating out. It’s easy, less packing, less planning, no mess to clean up, and, let’s face it, it’s fun to experience dining out if you’ve found a favorite restaurant or you’re in from out-of-town just having a new eating experience. Sounds wonderful, but for many of us, it’s expensive!

I personally use all three choices. How do I make my determination? If it’s a rally I have been too before, I have an idea of what places in the area I would want to ride to and eat…or not. Usually, I save eating out for breakfast. I never bring breakfast food to cook at a rally. No one wakes up thinking, “I want to cook right now”. Sometimes I don’t even want breakfast; sometimes I wake up hungry for lunch!

A 3-gallon water bottle (with a spout) for drinking water, making hot water using the coffee pot, washing hands, and water fights, aka-water guns! Don’t judge me, it’s hot in Texas!

Option 2: Some of us choose to eat at the rally grounds and eat what is deemed “Rally Food”. Yes, it’s convenient. Well mostly. Sometimes you might have to stand in line. The biggest complaint I’ve have is when it is about 3:00 in the morning and, well, I’m still up and dang I’m hungry? At a larger rally you might find a food vendor still open, but mostly you’re out of luck. Sometimes you find that there are three burger places, a taco place, and a BBQ stand with hamburgers and turkey legs. None of that sounds like a breakfast to me… more like the lunch or dinner I might want later in the day. And rally food can be expensive as well.

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Ok, so what about lunch and dinner? I pack enough food to be cooked for lunch and dinner each day except for the last day of the rally, the “go home” day. Here is my packing list: A cube-shaped cooler for food only. A large rectangle cooler for beverages only. No, sorting through the food cooler looking for that stuff! A small grill that collapses to “next to nothing”. A small cylinder propane tank with a few extra just in case.

A long folding table. The plastic table cloth draped over the table can make a shade for the food and drink coolers placed underneath. Skewer-length plastic containers. I use a sharpie to mark the lid with the contents; all the same shaped containers makes packing them in the cooler easier and the best use of space. I make skewers/food ahead of time, put them into the appropriate containers and freeze them prior to rally trip. I always leave one container of chicken skewers unthawed and on top of the containers for my first night at the rally.

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A medium pot with a lid. This I can leave on the stove for whoever cares to have some chili, when-ever. Food! Cricket’s Pineapple chicken skewers, Cricket’s beef vegetable skewers, Kirsten’s Sunday Morning Bloody Mary mix (recipes offered here); plus my favorite chili, jalapeno poppers (the way I like them), corn with butter, salt, pepper wrapped in foil. Tips: As the skewers thaw, make sure you rotate them inside the containers to evenly coat with the marinades before putting them on the grill. The containers make food both easy to find so you can cook only what you want, when you want it. Just rinse out the containers when they are empty – the easiest clean up ever! Skewers, spoons, Styrofoam cups, and the paper towels are your only real trash! I use skewers with my jalapeño poppers instead of tooth picks for cooking on the grill. Foil packets for the corn or anything else you think of leaves no dishes to wash at all! The best tip of all…if you choose to eat out instead of in the camp, you will have food left over. Perfect! Sunday, when you make it home from the rally and you are too tired to cook, fire up your grill one last time while you are unpacking and you have a ready-made meal without all the fuss!

Have your own Rally Recipes? Share them with us and our readers! Send your recipes to shelly@thunderroadstexas.com and we’ll share them here in the magazine!

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Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

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Rally Loop A two-hour ride starting at The Texas Rally

RIDE

MAP

By Shelly Horan, Owner/Managing Editor

It’s

rally-time again! The Texas Rally will host its 7th Annual Luau and Biker Bash at Big Creek Park on Lake Somerville. While this month’s map doesn’t offer a whole bunch of places to stop, we do offer a scenic ride with through a few of the best little towns in Texas. To assist with the Points Across Texas (PaT) aspect of the map, we have a list of qualified locations/ sites/photo opportunities at the end of this article. We head out from The Texas Rally grounds, back through Lyons on Highway 36 (also known as the 36th Division Memorial Highway; see our November 2011 map “Honoring Our Troops”), heading south. About 10 miles out of Lyons, take a right on FM 390 West. Here starts the first leg of our almost two hour ride around the countryside. Lots of meandering through rural America… some of the prettiest farmland you’ll see in Texas. Slow sweeping curves, sprinkled with a couple of tighter, more challenging turns. You’re now on a portion of the La Bahia Trail (see our Ride Map, “Riding Around the Rally”, August 2012). First small town we reach is Burton. We’ve covered this town before, so check out the details in our August 2012 issue. There are some PaT approved sites in Burton, see the list at the end of this article. Out of Burton, head East on Highway 290, back toward Brenham. Granted, this is probably the least exciting stretch. But it is at least in good condition, being a highly traveled route through Texas. We haven’t really provided much historical information and sites to visit in Brenham (how’d we miss that?!). So we’ll take a couple paragraphs here…

Top to Bottom: “Speedy” in a 2010 PaT submission at Blue Bell Creamery, Franciscan Poor Clare Nun at the monastery and miniature horse farm, and the Brenham Heritage Musuem.

Initially known as the Hickory Grove Community, the city was officially established in 1843-44, named in honor of Dr. Page 18

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Richard Fox Brenham (1810-1843). He was a surgeon in the Army of the Republic of Texas; a member of the Mier Expedition, killed at Salado, Mexico. As many early Texas towns, Brenham was a railroad and supply center during the Civil War. Since that time, it’s been a center for farming, trade, and manufacturing. Today’s Brenham is an antique, collectible, and craft shopping mecca. Historic downtown boasts some of the finest examples of brick masons’ artistry, while the residential parts of town show the skills of carpenters. The town is best known for their Maifest, a German heritage festival, held annually in May. It is the county seat of Washington County. For more information about its history, visit the Brenham Heritage Museum, housed in the former Post Office. For the tourist in you, visit Blue Bell Creamery for a taste of the finest ice cream made in Texas… nay, in the US! And for the younger ones (or the young-at-heart), see the miniature horses housed at the monastery with the Franciscan Poor Clare Nuns.

Back to our ride… leave Brenham on Highway 105 East, heading toward Navasota. About five miles shy of Washington, turn left on County Road 93/William Penn Road. If you like ghost towns we’ll head right through one – William Penn. Originally known as Hidalgo Bluffs, the town was eventually named for a steamboat that worked the Brazos River in the late 1840s. The only thing left to see (other than the street name), is the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The congregation was established in 1860. The building left standing today is from 1893. To reach the church, turn right on La Bahia Trail (FM 390 West), then right on County Road 97/FM 1935 for less than a mile. To continue the ride, go back to La Bahia Trail/390 West (turning right). About five miles down is Independence. It represented one of the wealthiest communities in the Republic and a Baptist center. A slight detour south on FM 50 (left off our route by only about a half mile) takes you to the Texas Baptist Historical Museum. It is operated in Texas’ oldest continuously serving Baptist church. Sam Houston was baptized here and carved his, and his wife’s, initials in their family pew. Leaving the church, head back up to La Bahia Trail and turn left.

Top: Texas Baptist Historical Museum. Bottom: Baylor University State Park, columns from old school building.

While we’re offering this as a route to take a little ride during the Texas Rally in September, it’s also a great map to hold onto for Bluebonnet season!

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Bethlehem Lutheran Church in ghost town William Penn.

Brenham (city limit sign) Blue Bell Creamery Franciscan Poor Clare Nuns Monastery and Miniature Horse Farm Historic Downtown Brenham Heritage Museum William Penn (street sign) Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Wm Penn)

MAP

Burton (city limit sign) Burton Cotton Gin and Museum Pig & Whistle Pub

Points Across Texas Qualified Destination List August 2013 Ride Map

A special note for all you hard core PAT participants: Discussions are in the works to use a “town name letters” theme, similar to that of the HOT Rally, for the 2014 Points Across Texas reader rides program. We’ll update you with the specifics this fall, so keep reading!

Independence (city limit sign) Texas Baptist Historical Museum Baylor University State Park 36th Division Memorial Highway sign La Bahia Trail Sign

Quick Rules:

• Locations/items must be easily identifiable in the photo. Signs are best (cities, events, mountains, parks, etc.), but some are self-explanatory (like Prada Marfa, a mural, the bank vault, etc.). • Your AND/OR your bike must be in the picture. • Photos must be emailed to PaT@ThunderRoadsTexas.comor can be posted on our Points Across Texas Facebook page (Facebook.com/PointsAcrossTexas). • Deadline for 2013 photos is January 15, 2014. Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

RIDE

Next up, a chance to get off the bike for a walk in Baylor University State Park. This is the original site of the historic school that was chartered in 1845. Today, only the columns of the main building and the ruins of the stone kitchen remain. Climb back on that steed and back onto La Bahia Trail, still heading West. This returns you to Highway 36, head north to get back to the Texas Rally.

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EVENT

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EVENT

Event Listing

The MOST comprehensive motorcycle event listing published in the State of Texas!

FDNY Hope for Warriors Ride (in TX) 972.822.6773 Trophy Club Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

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Salute to American Veterans Rally TheVeteransRally.org Cripple Creek, CO

Chapter Get-a-Way: Denton and Texoma ABATE Facebook.com/events/345708308890485 Whitesboro Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Sherman/Dennison

4th Annual Watermelon Run for the Fallen Facebook.com/events/426588090710398 Hempstead Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

Surfside Beach Bash Facebook.com/events/145423798986600 Freeport Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston 4B Wild West Bike Rally 4BWildWestBikeRally.com WARNING: Adult Content Brownfield Region: Panhandle Metro: Lubbock Burke Bike and Hot Rod Rally BurkeRally.com Driftwood Region: Hill Country Metro: Austin

Biker Pallooza Facebook.com/events/490630124333422 832.287.4586 Houston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston VIP Apparel and Strip Club Choppers of Texas invite you to the best party you’l never remember! Party fee: $10 presale/$12 at gate; Free tent/selfcontined camping with ticket. Live music, vendors, bikini dunking booth, bike wash, 50/50 contest, burn out contest, pole dance compeition, wet T-shirt contest, bike games, tattoo contest, fun run with cash pay out, and MORE! 832.287.4586; lonnie!vipbikerapparel.com. Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas! Curefest CureFest.com Humble Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

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Snapka’s BIKE NIGHT 361.883.2272 Corpus Christi Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Corpus Christi This month, Snapka’s BIKE NIGHT is sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas… .for a Riders’ Appreciation event. All taking place at the 4760 Leopard Street location. Join Thunder Roads’ Chere Laine for an evening of nostalgia and fun.

Hill Country Rally for Kids HCRally.com Driftwood Region: Hill Country Metro: Austin Mountains, Music & Motorcycles MountainsMusicMotorcycles.com Mountain View, AR

Thunder Roads Texas BIKE NIGHT SOUTH ThunderRoadsTexas.com Kemah Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston Hosted by Jackie’s Brickhouse on Marina Bay Drive (FM 2094) just west of Highway 146. Co-sponsored by the Outlaw Dave Show. Live music, Big Ass Beer, door prizes, CRAWFISH, and more! Reserved motorcycle parking. Rain or shine! Lone Star 92.5 Bike Night LoneStar925.com DFW Area Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth It’s a roaming bike night! Randy James of Lone Star 92.5 hosts an every Thursday bike night at various locations around town. Visit LoneStar925.com for information about upcoming bike nights. Proudly sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

Lone Star 92.5 Bike Night LoneStar925.com DFW Area Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth It’s a roaming bike night! Randy James of Lone Star 92.5 hosts an every Thursday bike night at various locations around town. Visit LoneStar925.com for information about upcoming bike nights. Proudly sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

Busted in Baylor County Motorcycle Rally BustedInBaylorCounty.com Seymour Region: Panhandle Metro: Wichita Falls

23-25

70th Annual Sturgis Bike Week Sturgis.com Sturgis, SD

Thunder Roads Texas BIKE NIGHT CENTRAL ThunderRoadsTexas.com Houston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston Our monthly (third Thursday) biker party with a few hundred of our closest friends! ~NEW~NEW~NEW LOCATION~ Now hosted by Outlaw Dave at his Worldwide Headquarters (6502 Washington Ave, just off I-10 inside the 610 Loop). Live entertainement with no cover or drink minimum, drink specials, vendors, stage games, door prizes, and MORE! Reserved motorcycle-only parking, with plenty of cage parking, too (if coming in a cage, please park behind I-Hop). Rain or shine… the BEST and longest continually held bike night in Houston!

1 2-4

1st Exotic Chili & BBQ Cook Off & Tasting Facebook.com/events/471847722902571 Harper Region: Hill Country Metro: Austin Jack Pot Chili Friday. Free chili meat to teams arriving by 2:00pm. All BBQ cook off entrants must sign in by 7:30pm Friday. Friday Night sampling; live music by Loyd Bonham Band. Saturday BBQ Cook Off begins @ 3pm. Exotic meats furnished to each team; limited to 12 teams. Other Saturday activities: Kid’s cook-off, 50/50 Drawing, Washer Tournament, Petting Zoo, Car Show, and BBQ Tastings. Saturday 9pm dance, featuring TC Taylor. Contact 830-864-4055.

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Lone Star 92.5 Bike Night LoneStar925.com DFW Area Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth It’s a roaming bike night! Randy James of Lone Star 92.5 hosts an every Thursday bike night at various locations around town. Visit LoneStar925. com for information about upcoming bike nights. Proudly sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas! Corpus Christi Children’s Cancer Benefit 361.944.1319; 361.855.8006 Sinton Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Corpus Christi

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July 2013

MONDAY

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WEDNESDAY

September 2013

TUESDAY

Lone Star Bike Night

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

1st Annual Exotic Chili & BBQ Cook Off Headwaters Saloon * Harper * August 2-4

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Houston & Kemah

Four Corners Rally August 29-September 1 Ignacio, CO

Lone Star Bike Night

Snapka’s Bike Night TRT Rider Appreciation Corpus Christi

Thunder in the Rockies August 30-Septmber 3 Loveland, CO

Curefest Humble

Biker Pallooza Houston

A GREAT THING ABOUT TEXAS ... The reason we have so many small towns is becuase many have said, “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us!”

Sturgis Bike Week August 5-11 Sturgis, SD

Lake of the Ozarks Bike Fest LakeoftheOzarksBikeFest.com Osage Beach, MO 7th Annual Brazos Biker Bash BrazosBikerBash.com WARNING: Adult Content Axtell Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Waco Bikers for Hero’s TheMotorcycleOutpost.com Westminster Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

2013 East Texas CASA Benefit Facebook.com/events/548870648485079 Longview Region: Piney Woods Metro: Longview Celebration of Freedom Facebook.com/events/360307604035431 Amarillo Region: Panhandle Metro: Amarillo

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Texas Gatorfest Gator Run Facebook.com/events/124787444398658 Anahuac Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston/Sugarland

18-21

Hot Springs Rally TheHotSpringsRally.com Hot Springs, AR

First Responder Teddy Bear Run Facebook.com/events/194711330706668 Lake Dallas Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

Bikes, Blues & BBQ BikesBluesandBBQ.org Fayetteville, AR

18-22

5-7

SEPTEMBER

Cleburne Armadillo Cycle Club Horseshoe Tournament ArmadilloCycleClub.net Cleburne Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

The Golden Aspen Rally MotorcycleRally.com Ruidoso, NM

30-Sep 3

Thunder in the Rockies ThunderInTheRockies.com Loveland, CO

The Texas Rally and Luau TheTexasRally.com Lake Somerville Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Bryan/College Station Held at Big Creek Park & Marina on beautiful Lake Somerville (out of Lyons). Always a huge party and always with a Damon Dave surprise! FREE Luau meal on Saturday (while it lasts), Tiki Lounge, Moment of Silence for 9/11, live bands, bike show & games, bike & campsite decorating contests, and so much more! Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas! See Cover Article, this issue.

26-29

30-Sep 2

17th Annual Top of Texas Trike-In 806.678.4267 Amarillo Region: Panhandle Metro: Amarillo

29-Sep 1

Four Corners Motorcycle Rally (Previously Ignacio Bike Week) IgnacioBikeWeek.com Ignacio, CO

12-15

18-21

Poker Run to benefit Wayne Jacobs Facebook.com/events/685466301470495 Houson Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston

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23-25

White Buffalo Bikefest SnyderChamber.com/Bikefest.htm Snyder Region: Panhandle Metro: Lubbock

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EvenT Listing

5th Annual Freedom on the Hill Ride 281.592.1692 Romayor Region: Piney Woods Metro: Houston Hosted by the VFW Post 8953 and Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas! Benefit Fun Run – bikes or cars welcome! $20/single; $25/couple. Fee includes meal andpoker hand. First bike out at 10am. Ride T-shirts available fro $20 (pre-order only). Live and silent auctions, 50/50 drawings, raffle. Poceeds benefit the VFW Post 8953. For more informaiton: 281.592.1692. Auction items appreciated, by September 20 – call 281.610.0273 or 713.397.4222. Revvin’ for the Ribbon Motorcycle Rally & Benefit RevvinForTheRibbon.com DFW Area Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth Multiple starting locations throughout the DFW metroplex, ending at the Quick Trip Park in Grand Prairie. Visit the website for details as they become available. All proceeds go to provide the Utlimate Healing Kit to patients at local hopsitals and surgery centers. Vendors, live music, contests, useful information about breast cancer survival and more. Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas! Rally in the Crater - Fall RallyintheCrater.com Mount Enterprise, TX Region: Piney Woods Metro: Longview

FUTURE October 2-6 Myrtle Beach Bike Week Fall Rally MyrtleBeachBikeWeek.com Myrtle Beach, SC October 5 Cowtown Round Up Music Fest & Rally CyclesForACure.com Fort Worth Region: Prairies & Lakes Metro: Fort Worth Presented by Cycles for a Cure, a 501c3 non-profit organization. Join them in the famous Fort Worth Stockyards for a motorcycle fun run, live local bands, vendors, food trucks, silent auction, raffle, bike show, and one big party! Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society Patient Navigation Program. Go online to register today! Additional information in their website or Facebook. com/cyclesforacure or chairperson@cyclesforacure.com. Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

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Facebook.com/ThunderRoadsTexas

ThunderRoadsTexas.com

October 11-13 Boo Benefit BooBenefit.org Jefferson Region: Piney Woods Metro: Tyler A legendrary ride… a Texas-sized cause! Each year, the small 2500 population town of Marshall is overrun with bikers from all across the nation, booming the population to between 30,000 and 50,000! Ride with “Boo” himself, attend the ball, buy a raffle ticket to win a new HarleyDavdison. Plus… live music and other entertainment, plenty of vendors, beer and food! 100% of net proceeds benefit Camp I’m Still Me, a camp for burned children. Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas! October 11-13 Corpus Christi BikeFest (formerly SPI BikeFest)’ CCBikeFest.com Corpus Christi Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Corpus Christi October 17-20 Biketoberfest Biketoberfest.com Daytona, FL

October 31-November 3 Blowout’s Lone Star Campground LoneStarCampground.com Hitchcock Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston It’s a huge party campground for visitors to the Lone Star Rally. Galveston Island no longer allows camper parking along the seawall and the island has very few other options for camping. Blowout Productions provides a full-blown campsite, complete with live music, vendors, contests, and after-hours partying (21+ only)… all for only Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas! October 31-November 3 Lone Star Motorcycle Rally LoneStarRally.com Galveston Region: Gulf Coast Metro: Houston The best and largest 4-day motorcycle rally in North America. Free admission, lots of free live music on two stages. Beautiful historic venue. Hundreds of vendors. Visit their website for updates. Call 832.437.2318 for vendor or band information. Sponsored by Thunder Roads Texas!

About Our Event Listing: Basic Event listings are FREE. Premium Event Listings (bold and up to 75 word description) are only $15/event. Send your event to: events@thunderroadstexas.com. To be included in the print version, information must be received by the 10th of the month prior to the month in which the event is scheduled or the month before you wish a Premium Event Listing to appear. Events must have some motorcycle element. Subscribe to our FREE Web-zine for updates with events that don’t make print, two weeks’ worth of events are provided every week to your email inbox. You can always visit our website to download a list of the “next two weeks” events. Thunder Roads Texas does not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided and cannot be held liable. Things change, there may be typos, and weather happens. So before you climb on your steed and ride to one of these events, contact the organizers and verify the latest information.

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Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

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EVENT

Thunder Roads Texas * Page 29 * August 2013

Thunder Roads Texas * Page 30 * August 2013

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ON THE COVER

7 Years and Still Going! By Damon Dave, Creator of The Texas Rally

even years later, here we are in Somerville, Texas at the 7th Annual Texas Rally Luau & Biker Bash. No hurricane, tropical storm, or fires have stopped us yet (knocking on wood). This year, we are bringing back the Battle of the After Hour Campsite Parties. We did this at the Carts, Bikers & Babes Rally this past April and it was a lot of fun! We pay out $2,000 for the best after hours parties at the rally. All you have to do is do what you do best – have fun hosting the best party! As usually, we’re about the music, expect ten live bands, for the biggest tribute show in the Lone Star State. Music by the best in the nation, paying hits from Led Zepplin, the Eagles, Lynard Skynard, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Thin Lizzy, Ozzy Osborn, The Farrell Weber Bank, Rhythm of

the Road, Alice in Chains, and more.

vendors, stage contests, and more!

The original Texas Rally started out of the desire to honor those lost in the 9/11 attacks. We have extended this moment of silence, lead by Houston radio personality, Outlaw Dave, to include loved ones and friends lost since last year’s rally.

We wish to shout out a great thank you to our local sponsors, like Susie’s, who has the best Mexican food in Somerville, Delbert Faust from Somerville Liquid Gas, our friends at Buck’s General Store (a must stop for shopping on the way into the rally). While traveling around the lake, be sure to visit the many local bars and businesses, as they support the rally in their own way! Of course, we can’t do it without all our sponsors. Check out their businesses (below) and be sure to tell them “thank you” for their continued support of The Texas Rally and the Carts, Bikers, & Babes Rally.

The Texas Rally (September) and the Carts, Bikers & Babes Rally (April) are the only rallies still hanging in the ever popular Lake Somerville area. As the biggest, we’re simply the best! We continue with all the bells & whistles, like the “Bring Out Your Bad” Custom Bike Show; Bike Games by our extended family, the Line Riders Motorcycle Club; and the FREE Luau meal on Saturday sponsored by Brookshire Brothers Food & Pharmacy. Not to mention the

EVENT

Special Thanks to our Sponsors

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EVENT

Thunder Roads Texas * Page 33 * August 2013

Motorcycle Safety is EVERYONE’S Responsibility

By Dean Downey, TRT Correspondent

For

the past six years, I have been actively involved in promoting and educating clubs, organizations, independent riders, mayors and city commissioners about motorcycle safety and awareness and how their support is vital in reducing motorcycle accidents, injuries, and fatalities in their respective communities. With riding season upon us, it’s everyone's responsibility to take an active role in doing their part in sharing the road and preventing more deaths from occurring.

that 80% of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a motorcycle rider, while only 20% of passenger car crashes injure or kill a driver or passenger in the vehicle. Vehicle drivers contribute to another 10% of motorcycle accidents where the motorcycle is the only vehicle involved. Drivers who unintentionally pull out in front of a motorcycle often force the rider to over-brake, slide, and fall. About two-thirds of these accidents are caused not by the motorcyclists, but by the car driver, according to a TXDPS source.

you had to do it to get a license or it has been awhile, take it again. None of us are ever too old for a refresher course to sharpen our skills and our minds. When looking for a bike, get one that fits you. So what if your friend has a big bike? That doesn't mean it is the right one for you. Before you ride, take time go over a checklist: check tires for wear and pressure, check the oil, fuel, turn signals, horn, headlights, brake lights, brakes, etc. and make sure everything is in working order. No one likes breakdowns on the highway.

In February, I attended the Texas Motorcycle Safety Forum in Waco. If you haven't attended one of these annual meetings, you need to. They are informative, educational, and give bikers and motorcyclists the opportunity to hear representatives from the Texas Department of Transportation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Center for Transportation Safety, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition. The Forum presentations give insight in what the State of Texas is doing to increase motorcycle safety and awareness, what programs are being funded, and just where the money is going. More importantly, the Forum allows bikers and motorcyclists the opportunity to give those agencies input on ways to improve what they are doing and feedback on the problems we are having in our communities. When I leave the conference, even though I may feel like there isn't enough being done for us, I know what is being done is better than in previous years. I am grateful to Patricia Turner and the staff at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, and the many agencies involved in putting these forums together every year; to allow us to attend and become more knowledgeable in the issues that affect our ride every day.

According to a TXDOT press release on May 3, 2013, last year 460 people died on Texas roadways while riding motorcycles and scooters. In 2011, that number was 488. The press release goes on to state, “The 6.1 percent decrease may be attributed to an increase in helmet use and heightened awareness by other motorists through TXDOT campaigns, such as “Share The Road.” I commend TXDOT for using billboards in May to increase awareness, along with television and radio ads, and community events across the state, but we all need to do more to increase awareness in our communities.

When you ride, wear protective clothing and be as visible as possible, take along extra gear such as rain gear and a helmet, and avoid wearing tennis shoes, flip flops, and shorts unless you really like road rash or want to see your bones protruding from your skin. It may be hot outside but I would rather be hot wearing a leather vest, jeans, and boots than dead without them! When riding, ride defensively and offensively. Always be watching and be aware of everything going on around you. Learn to anticipate and expect the unexpected. Don't forget your motorcycle is equipped with a horn, brakes, and turn signals, so be sure to let the drivers know your intentions just like we expect them to let us know; none of us are mind readers! If you start feeling tired and fatigued, pull over some place safe and rest. Better to get to your destination safely than not at all!

In some newspaper across the state, it's a common occurrence to hear of another motorcycle accident or fatality. At times, in some areas of the state, the numbers seem to be decreasing while others seem to be increasing. While we may never get the full account of any given accident, what we do hear is whether the riders were wearing a helmet or not, or if speed, drugs, or alcohol were contributing factors. Motorists are quick to blame the motorcyclists and the motorcyclists are quick to blame the motorists for the accident. In more than half of motorcycle accidents, the motorist will say, “I never saw the motorcyclists.” The NHTSA estimates

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In Amarillo, our mayor and city commissioners approved purchasing 100 Share The Road motorcycle signs and 100 bicycle signs to be permanently mounted in areas of our city that are the most dangerous or that have had the majority of accidents and fatalities. We currently have approximately 80 of each sign installed. Every year for the past six years the local motorcycle community has asked city leaders to sign a proclamation in May recognizing the month as Motorcycle Safety and Awareness month. We have provided them with statistics showing an increase in motorcycle accidents, injuries, and fatalities. I am very grateful to our mayor, city commissioners, and city manager for wanting to make us a safer community and for their concern for the welfare of the bicyclists and motorcyclists who live in Amarillo. The buck doesn't stop there, however, I will continue to work, along with my biker friends, in getting other communities on board with Share The Road signs. This article provides a lot of information, statistics, and talk about ways we can all get involved in increasing motorcycle safety and awareness, but there are things we can do to prevent accidents, injuries, and fatalities ourselves. First, take a motorcycle safety course; even if

Last, refrain from the use of drugs and alcohol the combination of these two impairs your thinking and reaction time and, for some reason, creates the need for more acceleration or speed. If you are taking prescription drugs, make sure of possible side effects before riding. We all have families, friends, and people who love us and depend on us everyday to be a part of their lives. Bottom line: let’s ride and return home to them safely. Until next time, ride safe.

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Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

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Want to see YOUR mug in our mag? Send pics to Shelly@ThunderRoadsTexas.com.

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ThunderRoadsTexas.com

POINTS ACROSS TEXAS SUBMISSIONS

See our website for information on this READER RIDES program and get free stuff!

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

August 2013

Page 39

The young man says, “I’m 22, sir.” The trooper asks, “And her, what’s her age?” A State Trooper was patrolling late at night off the main highway. At nearly midnight, he sees a couple in a car, in lovers’ lane, with the interior light brightly glowing. He carefully approaches the car to get a closer look. Then he sees a young man behind the wheel, reading a computer magazine. He immediately notices a young woman in the rear seat, filing her fingernails. Puzzled by this surprising situation, the trooper walks to the car and gently raps on the driver’s window. The young man lowers his window. “Uh, yes, Officer?” The trooper asks, “What are you doing?” The young man says, “Well, Officer, I’m reading a magazine.” Pointing towards the young woman in the back seat the trooper says, “And, her, what is she doing?” The young man shrugs, “Sir, I believe she’s filing her fingernails.” Now, the trooper is totally confused. A young couple, alone, in a car, at night in a lover’s lane and nothing inappropriate is happening! The trooper asks, “What’s your age, young man?”

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The young man looks at his watch and replies, “She’ll be 18 in exactly 11 minutes.” Things to Ponder… • Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me alone. • The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire. • It’s always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it. • Don’t be irreplaceable. If you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted. • Always remember that you’re unique. Just like everyone else. • Never test the depth of the water with both feet. • If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of car payments. • Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, • If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you. • Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day long. • If you lend someone $20 and never see that person

again, it was probably worth it. • If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything. • Some days you’re the bug; some days you’re the windshield. • Everyone seems normal until you get to know them. • The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket. • Duct tape is like ‘The Force’. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together. 6-year-old Johnny and 4-year-old Troy are raking the yard. Johnny asks, “You know what? I think it’s about time we started learning to cuss.” Troy nods his head in approval. Johnny continues, “When we go in for breakfast, I’m gonna’ say something with hell and you say something with ass.” Troy agrees with enthusiasm. When their mother walks into the kitchen and asks Johnny what he wants for breakfast, he replies, “Aw, hell, Mom, I guess I’ll just have some Cheerios.” For which he gets a THUMP upside the head. He runs upstairs with Mom in hot pursuit. His Mom locks him in his room and shouts, “You can stay there until you learn some manners”. She then comes back downstairs, looks at Troy and asks with a stern voice, “And what do YOU want for breakfast, young man?” “I don’t know Mom,” he blubbers, “but you can bet your fat ass it won’t be Cheerios!”

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Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

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King in Texas and won Blues Band of the Year at the Dallas Music Awards.

By Don “DB” McGovern, TRT Correspondent Photos by Kenn Langford

INTERVIEW WITH LANCE LOPEZ

Lance Lopez, thanks for pausing from a hectic rehearsal schedule to sit down with us. As background for our readers Lance, you’ve been a professional musician since you were 14 years of age playing in clubs all over the Gulf Coast. At 17 you toured with soul singer Johnnie Taylor before joining Lucky Peterson and touring for three years all over the world. After leaving Lucky Peterson’s band you toured and opened with a Who’s Who of Blues Rock bands including Buddy Miles, BB King, Jeff Beck, Steve Vai, ZZ Top, Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Rod Stewart, Joe Bonamassa, and Johnny Winter. I want to focus this conversation by asking you to share the evolution of your music by way of the back stories I’ve read about your personal journey. You’ve gained a unique insight into the decline and resurgence of the Blues led by the emergence of a growing body of euro-fans and a new generation of Blues-men stateside. Playing with such blues legends surely shaped your evolving blues rock style. I see this clearly through your progression in instruments as, early on, you experimented with Gibson, Stratocaster, and the Flying V, and a recent notable endorsement with Paul Reed Smith Guitars [a solid body PRS 245 is featured in this interview.]

I was a child of the 80’s music scene DB. Disco and new wave had lessened the blues rock’s influence. But by 1983 it was Dallas born Stevie Ray Vaughan that shaped my music forever. Everyone was slinging a Strat and in 1999 I won the Southeastern Regional Jimi Hendrix Electric Guitar competition. In 2001, I opened for BB

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From 2003 to 2007 the blues saw a growing fan base in Europe where we toured non-stop. I released three studio CDs and one live CD for a small independent label, Grooveyard Records - all heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix. In 2010 I worked with Jim Gaines who produced my first traditional Texas blues style CD, “Salvation From Sundown” on MIG Music. In 2011 we recorded “Handmade Music” with Jim Gaines at Ardent Studios in Memphis, TN. Ardent is where Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and others made some of their greatest works. I’ll always remember BB King and Billy Gibbons telling me to put down the Strat and get back on a Gibson. When you’re lucky enough to get advice from these two legends, well, look where we are today. We have a new CD in the works and an upcoming Balkan Tour (MostaBlues.com).

With six studio albums, and a new album underway, there is a total body of work available to follow the evolution of Lance Lopez and I encourage all of our readers to go to CDBaby.com/cd/lancelopez5 and listen to several tracks... I guarantee you’ll be downloading your favorite tracks and/or purchasing the CDs! And that’s a WRAP, Lance, so thanks again for your generosity and a THUNDEROUS good time!

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ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Biker Friendly These businesses are SERIOUS about serving the Texas Motorcycle Community. The list is set up in business categories. Regional and Metro information is included. An “ * ” means the location is a Thunder Roads Texas distribution point. Visit ThunderRoadsTexas.com to find a full listing of distribution points. Tell them you saw them in Thunder Road Texas! Want to be on this list - it’s only $149/YEAR; $125 for churches, bands, MC clubs/groups, and VFW/ALR Halls - visit our website or email Shelly@ThunderRoadsTexas.com for information. * Johnny O’s Ole House Tavern Accessories & Parts Biker Churches * Stitches 1308 Hwy 6 South Houston, TX 77077 281.558.8572 Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

Bands LIST YOUR BAND HERE! http://ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Bars & Restaurants

9905 Camp Bowie West Fort Worth, TX 76116 817.874.2535 www.chulachaser.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth

* Noah’s Ark Bar & Grill 4438 Boulevard St Bacliff, TX 77518 281.339.2895 www.noahsarkbarandgrill.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Bryant’s Ice House 26913 Katy Freeway Katy, TX 77494 281.392.BEER (2337) HoustonIceHouse.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Rolling Thunder Bar & Grill 6441 County Rd 2173 Fluvanna, TX 79517 325.573.HAWG (4294) http://rollingthunderbarandgrill.com/Home_Page.php Region: Panhandle Closest Metro: Lubbock

* Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop Bent Rim Grill 657 West Ranch Rd Leakey, TX 78873 830.232.6629 www.friocanyonmotorcycleshop.com www.bentrimgrill.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio

* Tommaso’s Italian Restaurant 507 N Gordon St Alvin, TX 77511 281.331.6262 www.tomasositaliangrill.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Headwaters Saloon 229 S Ranch Rd 783 Harper, TX 78631 830.377.5034 Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio

Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

* West of the Brazos 23220 Hwy 36 Damon, TX 77430 979.742.3100 www.WestoftheBrazos.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston * Yankee’s Tavern 8703 Ada Oaks Ln Anderson, TX 77830 936.873.3314 www.yankeestavern.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Bryan/College Station

Northeast Texas Bikers Church 749 E 16th Street Mt Pleasant, TX 75455 903.563.0948 NETXBC.com Region: Piney Woods Closest Metro: Longview Church service on Thursdays @ 7pm Bible study on Sundays @ 5pm

Dealerships & Shops * Bill Allen Motorcycle Company 3607 S College Ave Bryan, TX 77801 979.822.4294 Facebook.com/BillAllen.Motorcycles * Collin County Choppers AKA Frisco Custom Cycles 6427 Main St Frisco, TX 75034 214.387.0650 www.collincountychoppers.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth * Cowboy’s Alamo City H-D 11005 IH 35 North San Antonio, TX 78233 800.397.7875 www.cowboysalamocityharley.com Region: South Texas Closest Metro: San Antonio * Harley-Davidson of Waco 4201 S Jack Kultgen Expy Waco, TX 76711 254-753-0393 www.hdwaco.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Waco

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Biker Friendly * Hawgs N Dawgs Motorcycle Shop & CafĂŠ 1333 SE Military Dr San Antonio, TX 78214 210.924.0203 www.HawgsNDawgs.com Region: South Texas Closest Metro: San Antonio

* Southern Metal Choppers 11116 Middle Fiskville Rd, Ste E Austin, TX 78753 512.833.5044 www.southernmetalchoppers.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: Austin

* Javelina Harley-Davidson 29078 I-10 West Boerne, TX 78006 800-860-9696 www.javelinaharleydavidson.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio

* Thunder Alley Cycles 416 NE Wilshire Blvd Burleson, TX 76028 817.295.0955 www.thunderalleycycles.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Ft Worth

* Legacy Harley-Davidson 12100 W Hwy 80 East Odessa, TX 79765 800.788.6921 www.legacyh-d.com Region: Big Bend Closest Metro: Midland/Odessa

* Tugs Cycles 19529 County Rd, #2 Brazoria, TX 77422 979.798.6061 Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

* Longhorn Harley-Davidson 2830 West I-20 Grand Parairie, TX 75052 972.988.1903 www.longhornhd.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Ft Worth * Mancuso Harley Davidson - Crossroads 12710 Crossroads Park Dr Houston, TX 77065 281.970.9700 www.mancusocrossroads.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston * Motorcycle Tire Shop Welding/Technical Services 1917 S Hackberry San Antonio, TX 78210 210.533 BIKE (2453) http://motorcycletireshop.synthasite.com Region: South Texas Closest Metro: San Antonio * Potterosa Cycles & ATVs 18143 FM 314 Conroe, TX 77302 281.572.4774 www.potterosa.net/ Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

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* Woods Cycle Country 1933 I-35 East New Braunfels, TX 78130 830.606.9828 www.woodscyclecountry.com Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio

For the Girls GOT GREAT BIKER GIRL GEAR? ADVERTISE HERE! http://ThunderRoadsTexas.com

Insurance & Attorneys * Ball Insurance 416 S Main St Highlands, TX 77562 800.444.7014 www.ballins.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston * Farrar & Ball Law Firm; Law Tigers 1010 Lamar, Ste 1600 Houston, TX 77002 713.221.8300 www.lawtigers.com Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

... continued * Freeway Insurance 642 W Rhapsody, Ste A San Antonio, TX 78216 210.403.2216 www.FreewayInsurance.com Region: South Texas Closest Metro: San Antonio

Lodging & Campgrounds DUBL-C Guest House (Vacation Rentals by Owner) Kerrville area: located on Hwy 39 between Ingram & Hunt; Stay 2 Nights, get 3rd FREE 866.427.8374 www.vrbo.com/385945 Region: Hill Country Closest Metro: San Antonio *Scoot On Inn Cabins & Camping, LLC 4397 South Highway 83 Leakey, TX 78873 830.232.4442 Office/Home 512.517.5349 Cell-Tim Region: HIll Country Closest Metro: San Antonio *The Overnight Bunkhouse Bed & Kitchen 13132 Highway 90 North Singleton, TX 77831 936.395.2601 Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

Motorcycle Towing Cyclone Cycle Rescue 1100 Crane Dr Euless, 76039 76039 817.308.9086 www.MotorcycleTowingTX.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth * Dragonstar Motorcycle Transportation PO Box 444 Bryan, TX 77806 281.935.8890 www.getaride.net Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Bryan/College Station

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Texas-based, Texas-focused, Texas PROUD!

August 2013

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Biker Friendly Riding Gear & Leather Goods * American Man Cave 18 E Main St Bellville, TX 77418 979.865.9383 www.american-man-cave.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Houston * Coppersage Biker Gear 1002 Goodson Rd Coppersage Biker Gear 1002 Goodson Road Magnolia, TX 77355 281.730.1835 Region: Piney Woods Closest Metro: Houston

Miscellaneous * American Legion Post 402 11457 US Highway 190 West Livingston, TX 77351 936.646.7411 * Computers & More ABILENE: 3646 N 6th Street, Abilene, TX 79603 325.670.0200 Region: Panhandle/Abilene Metro COOPER: 1901 W Dallas Ave, Cooper, TX 75432 903.395.4159 Region: Prairies & Lakes/DFW Metro

... continued Oklahoma Backroads OKMotorcycleTours.com 405.996.0411 888.785.8733 blongarborist@wildblue.net Outlaw Dave Productions PO Box 25028 Houston, TX 77265 www.OutlawNation.us Region: Gulf Coast Closest Metro: Houston

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* Motorcycle Outpost, The 103 S College Westminster, TX 75409 972.838.8222 www.TheMotorcycleOutpost.com Region: Prairies & Lakes Closest Metro: Dallas/Fort Worth * Pit Stop Biker Gear 13028 State Highway 21 West Austonio, TX 75835 936-661-7518 www.pitstopbikergear.com

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Thunder Roads Texas * Page 48 * August 2013