Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa April 2024

I’m sitting here this morning working on healing up after surgery and trying to pick up a little of the slack for Vernon in the process. He is always, and I mean always busy. Between gun shop business, magazine business, and family business he rarely has time for much else. In fact, to the point that he feels he is being lazy if he takes some time for himself. So, since he is running errands for me and helping me regain mobility around the house as additional work this month and I am pretty much a recliner jockey for a while yet, I am sitting in for him this time.

It made me laugh when I sat down to write this “Looking Forward to Spring” letter this morning, as for some unbalanced reason, mother nature has decided that after weeks of warm weather and spring allergies she was going to dump more of that evil white crap on us all today. One last winter hurrah if you will….well go ahead you bipolar wench, your time is limited, because the time for riding is fast approaching, and that makes everyone smile.

As Vernon has said before, he is a victim of seasonal motorcycle deprivation syndrome (this is not an official medical term, I just made it up to describe my husband’s yearly period of suffering). This is just a fact of life for him, as I am sure that many of you reading this understand and suffer from as well. He genuinely misses his two wheel time in the winter months, and I don’t blame him one bit. Riding for him is one of the few ways he has to truly decompress from all that he does on a daily basis, and the only way that faithfully rectifies the bullshit that life throws at him. Spring is upon us my friends, and with it comes the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, an opportunity for rebirth if you will. The sun and the warmth and light it brings can just improve most everything if you give it a chance.

That being said, the time is here…time to do those pesky maintenance items on your beloved, get yourself out for the season, and improve your mental status. Two wheel time is not selfish; it is for the greater good if you really want to break it down. So, check your tires for wear and proper

On the Cover & Calendar the &

Megan graces Jeremy “Chomper” Lehman’s Heritage Softail for the month of April to help promote the 13th Annual Sleeping Angels Fun Run on May 4th. Jeremy loves building things from the ground up, so it seemed like a perfect spot for some photos because Sleeping Angels built their event years ago from the ground up and have been helping families ever since. Their run based out of Boone has always been the first Saturday of May. It has grown exponentially, and now includes routes starting out of different locations, and expanded to even include some that are more than motorcycle routes. Join along on the fun May 4th! Scan the QR code on the cover or calendar page this month to get registered or learn more about the event. You can also check on their Facebook page Sleeping Angels Fun Run.

pressure, check your brakes for functionality, make sure your signal lights and horn are working so everyone can see you, check your controls to ensure smooth clutch and throttle operation, and change your fluids for those upcoming rides.

Speaking of rides, make sure you get yourself ready in time to attend the Sleeping Angels Fun Run on Saturday, May 4th. This ride has been happening for over a decade and it just gets better every year. The Sleeping Angels Foundation puts on this run every year to help raise funds to assist Iowa families experiencing infant loss. Since 2012 they have helped over 300 families with over a million dollars raised, and by attending the ride you can help those numbers continue to grow.

Start planning your summer rides now; our pages are filled with great places to eat, drink, and shop that are biker friendly year round. The biker world starts gearing up for riding season late winter with swap meets and the like, transitioning to rallies as the weather heats up. Participate in these events all you can, support the businesses and events that support your lifestyle. The events listing is sure to find you a plethora of places to ride this summer but check back often, as new events are added every month. You can also check the Thunder Roads Facebook page every Monday for an updated list as well. A big thank you to all of our advertisers, as we could not do what we do without you! We appreciate your continued support. Until next month when the big guy returns with his words of wisdom…ride safe!

Melanie Schwarte Melanie@thunderroadsiowa.com

Quote of the month:

“When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.” ―

Ernest Hemingway

OK, I admit that I am secretly glad that the weather is perhaps not the greatest for riding, because we still have a dog situation. For those of you who don’t know, Mark’s ‘lil buddy, Bram, began having what we thought were hip problems late last summer after we abandoned him to jet off to Sturgis. He could barely walk, which is somewhat of an issue when you have a 75-pound dog, but worse, began long bouts of yelping from agonizing pain. It took several rounds of x-rays, a couple different docs and a trip to the University of Missouri’s animal hospital to figure out what was wrong. Bram had developed a bladder infection and the bacteria had migrated to the bones in his back, right where his hips join in. The infection had eaten holes in two of his vertebrae, causing the intense pain. It was possibly fixable, the veterinary surgeon said, but no guarantees. We proceeded with the surgery and have survived hand feeding for weeks when he was too weak to stand to eat, the 3 months of crate confinement and the struggle to get med into him 5 times a day. Next, in order to cut down on the odds of a bladder infection recurring, the docs strongly recommend that Bram be neutered as soon as he can be flipped onto his back. So, now we have the combination of a strong, lively, young hunting dog who has healed enough to want to run and chase things, and a doctor who says he’s not ready to run and chase things yet. Plus, we want him to drink a lot and pee often so he’ll avoid a repeat bladder infection – all of which bring us back to the dog situation, which is that we try not to leave Bram trapped in his crate for too long at a time. That means that Mark and I have not been able to ride together, go out of town together – really do much of anything together because we’re tag-teaming staying home with the dog. It’s like having a toddler all over again.

We’re really hoping that mid-May will find Bram totally recovered from his back issues and also on the mend from being neutered. We just want all our lives to go back to normal. Well, Bram’s life won’t be quite normal since he’ll be missing some body parts!

So, I was thinking about neutering and how the neutered dog retains its strength to run and work, but not to procreate, and how dog is god spelled backwards, and my mind being how it is, I began to do some spiritual pondering. I began to think about how we all like the idea of having a god that is big and strong, a god who created the universe and who will always make things work the way we think things should work. But after that point, we kinda want this god to mind his own beeswax. We don’t want him to tell us what to do and we sure don’t want to submit to any unpleasant changes that are supposedly for our good but don’t feel very good. And that made me realize that if I’m honest with myself, what I really want is a neutered version of God. Because the un-neutered, procreative version of God is going to work at changing me into His likeness, and I’m afraid that this is where the difficult and unpleasant stuff will come in.

But in the real world, difficult and unpleasant stuff is everywhere. It’s about how I’m going to respond when I’m betrayed by someone I thought was a friend. It’s about how I will react when a co-worker gets a position that I thought I was going to get. It’s about having to watch my grandchildren struggle through their parents’ divorce and not knowing how to help them. It’s all the stuff that every

one of us is going to face –with or without God.

I guess we all have a decision to make. Do we want to go through life with the version of a god we’ve created in our own minds? Here’s how the Bible describes it in Romans 10: “I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God . . .” That was written over 2,000 years ago, and since we’re still struggling to make it on our own today, I’d have to say that we humans haven’t changed much.

The alternative is to choose to follow the God that all of creation points to. The God that the Bible describes. This God sent his own son, Jesus Christ, with the mission of living a sinless life - because we couldn’t. Jesus then gave his life as a swap for our lives. The life of someone who was not guilty of sin for the lives of those who were. What kind of fool would agree to a plan like that? A better question isWhat kind of fool are we to say no to a plan like that?

Hebrews 4:15 tells us that “This High Priest of ours, Jesus, understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” This God does not sugar-coat our sin. He meets it head-on and provides a remedy. Like Bram, we need a surgery to remove the rotted tissue. We need something from outside ourselves to kill the poison spreading in us. And for the rest of our days, we will need the TLC and grace that only God can provide as we battle our way through this life.

The decision is up to you. Choose wisely.

Blessings – Karla

Mark & Karla Cornick are with the Christian Motorcyclists Association. Find out more about CMA and God’s plan for you at www.cmausa.org.

The Biker Friendly Business Directory is a list of establishments throughout Iowa that sponsor the magazine. You can pick up your copy here every month. Let them know that you saw them in TRMI. If your business would like to advertise in Thunder Roads Iowa Biker Friendly Business Listing and become a part of the network, please email vernon@thunderroadsiowa.com

Biker Accessories

Crispy’s Biker Apparel Cedar Rapids, Iowa Find Us On Facebook

Dirty Biker Design

122 S. John Wayne Drive Winterset, Iowa 50273

www.DirtyBikerDesign.com 515-444-9050

Dealers

Baxter Cycle 311 4th Street Marne, Iowa 51552 712-781-2351

www.baxtercycle.com

Big Barn Harley-Davidson

81 NW 49th Place Des Moines, Iowa 50313 515-265-4444

www.bigbarnhd.net

Heartland Harley-Davidson

117 S Roosevelt Ave Burlington, IA 52601 319-754-1100

www.heartlandhd.com

Indian Motorcycle of Mason City Mason City Powersports

12499 265th Street Mason City 641-423-3181

Masoncitypowersportsinc.com

Metro Harley-Davidson

2415 Westdale Drive SW Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404 319-362-9496

Edwards Motorsports and RV’s 1010 34th Avenue

Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501 712-366-8400

fullthrottleia.com

Harley-Davidson of Carroll 1327 Plaza Dr Carroll, Iowa 712-792-1610

www.carrollcycle.com

Food

and

Drink

(Popular Poker & Fun Run Locations)

Bloodline Irish Pub 214 Public Square

Greenfield, Iowa 50849

Bloodline Irish Pub on Facebook

Catfish Charlie’s

On the Mississippi River 1630 E. 16th Street Dubuque, IA 52001 (563)582-8600

www.CatfishCharliesDubuque.com

www.metro-motorsports.com

Route 65 Harley-Davidson

1300 S Jefferson Way Indianola, Iowa 50125 515.962.2160

www.route65hd.net

Storm Lake Honda

3040 Expansion Blvd

Storm Lake, Iowa 50588

StormLakeHonda.com 712-732-2460

Entertainment

Book Em Dano’s

33 S Main Street Denison, Iowa 51442

712-263-9818 Mon-Sat 4-2

Dancers Nightly 5-1:30

Johnie’s Tap

112 NE 2nd Street Stuart, Iowa 50250 515-523-1146

Find Us on Facebook

Just 1 More

515-570-4206 641-757-0159

309 Railway Jamaica, Iowa 50128

Kilroy’s Bar

Desperados

105 E 5th Street Atlantic 712-243-7087

Home of Cold Beer, Good Times, Pizza & Wings

Flaming Office

201 W High Street Toledo 641-484-2255

Outdoor Patio, Happy Hour 5-7

Flaming Office on Facebook & Google

Haverhill Social Club 202 1st Street Haverhill, Iowa 50120 641-475-3321

Closed Mon-Tues, 4-Midnite Wed-Thur-Fri, 10-Midnight Sat, 11-Midnight Sunday

Iowa Legendary Rye

707 N Main Street Carroll, Iowa 51401

Iowalegendaryrye.com

1119 Thomas Street Redfield, Iowa 50233 515-833-2711

Hours and Event Updates on Facebook!

McCanns Tap NE 14th & 54th Des Moines, Iowa 50313

Bike Parking

M-F 2:00-2 S-S 11:00-Close

Mi Casa Family Restaurant 512 Market Street Harlan, Iowa 51537 712-755-2258

Enjoy Drinks at the Full Bar!

Midway Tavern 206 1st Street Soldier, Iowa 712-884-2230

www.midwaytavernsoldier.com

Okoboji Classic Cars

Museum and Restoration Shop

810 Jeppeson Road

West Okoboji, Iowa 51351 712-332-8029

Jake’s Station 107 West HWY 59 Hancock, Iowa 51536 712-741-BEER

Like Our Page Jakes Station on Facebook

J.R. Willie’s

Gateway to the Beautiful Hill Country Colesburg, IA 563-856-5095

Open Tuesday - Sunday 11AM

Home of the Willie Whopper

Montgomery Street Pub 207 East Montgomery Street Creston, Iowa 50801 641-782-2165

Papa Joe’s

117 South 6th Street Missouri Valley, Iowa 51555 712-642-9015

Pearl Street Social Club 110 Pearl Street SW

Shellsburg, Iowa 52332 319-436-7100

Find Us On Facebook!

Riverside Tavern

450 E Main St Lehigh, Iowa 50557 515-359-9998

Email:riversidetap@gmail.com

Shootout Saloon 3571 310th St Dexter

1 Mile West of Bonnie & Clyde Shootout 712-249-0041

Secluded Bar in the Woods

Sidetracked

206 West Union Street Creston, Iowa 50801 641-782-8534

Stumpy’s Bar & Grill 423 Main Street Duncombe, Iowa 50532 515-543-4222

Stumpy’s Bar & Grill on Facebook

The Exchange 171 S Elm Street Avoca, Iowa 51521 712-343-2609

Lang’s Pizza, Cold Beer, Sports

The Yankee Clipper 312 SW Maple St Ankeny, Ia 50023 515-964-9484 yankeeclipperbar.com

Vic’s Main Tap 304 Broadway Audubon, Iowa 50025 712-563-2122

Guns and Ammo

Photo and Art

Thunder Guns 201 4th Ave Portsmouth, Iowa 51565 712-249-5630

Find us on Facebook

Thunder Guns West 1101 Chatburn Ave STE 103 Harlan, Iowa 51537 712-235-2632

Find us on Facebook

Opens M-F 2-Close, Sat 9-Close, Sun 2-Close

Western Iowa Ice 514 East Street Shelby, Iowa 51570 402-681-6521

Ice Delivered to Your Location

Wilson’s Tap and Recreation 1008 Story Street Boone, Iowa 50036/ 515-433-1395

Hobbies & Collectibles

Treasure Island Diecast/Facebook Hot Wheels, M2, Matchbox, Jada Ertl, Lightning, Harley, Maisto Buy-Sell-Trade

641-521-8036 rayaustinhd@gmail.com www.treasureislanddiecast.com

Insurance & Financial

State Farm

Clark Ahrenholtz, Agent 2114 12th Street Harlan, Iowa 712-755-5724

Clark.ahrenholtz.jb69@statefarm.com

Legal

Ullrich Photography PO Box 1842 Clinton, Iowa 52733 563-243-8715 www.natanic.com

Quilting

Bam-Bam Quilting 724 E Benton Winterset kerneskimmie@gmail.com 515-468-0264

Find us on Facebook

Shops & Fabricators

BS & Bikes

300 E 17th St S Suite 700 Newton, IA 50208 641-521-8448

Find us on Facebook

Butterfield’s M.C. Parts 8025 Blondo Street Omaha, NE 68134 402-391-3768

Chuck’s Cycle Service and Repair

S&S and Drag Specialties Dealer 307 E 5th StreetWashington, Iowa52353 319-461-5278

Elkhart, Iowa 50073

Custom & Full-Service HD Repair

Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat by appt only 515-367-7336

Motorcycle Medic 3176 Highway 30 Woodbine, Iowa 51579 712-647-2818

Open Tues-Fri 9-6, Sat 8-12

Hupy and Abraham sc, pc Lawyers for Bikers 800.800.5678

Hupy.com

TheBikerLawyers.com

The Biker Lawyers, P.C. Riding & Defending Your Rights for Over 30 Years

877-209-9452

Cycle Clinic 2209 ML King Pkwy Des Moines, Iowa 50314 cycleclinicdm.com 515-288-6954

F & J Racing 701 N 3rd Ave Marshalltown, Iowa 50158 641-752-8651

www.fandjracing.com

Nelson Machine & Forge General Machining, Ornamental Iron, Weld/Fab 70 Washington Street Marne, Iowa 51552 712-781-2220

Road Rage BikeWorks 401 High Street Avoca, Iowa 51521 712-307-6111

Road Rage BikeWorks on Facebook

Thunder Road Cycles 4106 Rockingham Rd Davenport, Iowa 52802 563-323-3172

Thunder Road Cycles on Facebook

Trailers

Lacaeyse Trailer Sales 4192 HWY 146 Grinnell

Trailers & Truck Accessories 641-990-2674

www.lacaeysetrailers.com

The Biker Friendly Business Directory is a list of establishments throughout Iowa that sponsor the magazine. You can pick up your copy here every month. Let them know that you saw them in TRMI. If your business would like to advertise in Thunder Roads Iowa Biker Friendly Business Listing and become a part of the network, please email vernon@thunderroadsiowa.com

We always share some useful information as riding season kicks off to help everyone on two wheels to stay as safe as possible, but what about the other guys? The people on four wheels? Sometimes we all need some helpful reminders to keep each other safe, so here are some helpful tips for the people out and about on more than two…

Always check your blind spots! This is possibly the number one reason for accidents involving motorcycles and cars. Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles and can be even more difficult to spot while merging or changing lanes. The shape of motorcycle and rider is also more likely to blend

motorcycle can be fatal to the rider, particularly if you drive a large, heavy vehicle.

Weather warning Weather warning: bad weather has more drastic effects on motorcycle riders than it does on automobile drivers. Rain and winter weather in particular can make it almost impossible for motorcyclist to continue to travel. Windy conditions can make it difficult for motorcyclists to control their vehicle on the road. Also remember that weather conditions often reduce your own visibility and may cause motorcycles to be more difficult to see.

Night-riding can be treacherous for motorcyclists. Help riders stay safe after dark by increasing your following distance, ensuring that your high-beams are turned off when you notice an approaching motorcycle, and refraining from passing.

into the images you see in your rear-view and side-view mirrors than that of a large automobile. Take your time before merging and devote several seconds to searching each of your car’s blind spots before proceeding with your intended maneuver. Be extra cautious when passing. It is lawful to pass a motorcycle in the same way you would an automobile, assuming that you are driving on a section of roadway that allows passing; however, the gust of wind that results from your increase in speed as you pass could cause the motorcycle to become unstable and blow the rider off of the road.

Stay in your lane. Motorcycles are legally entitled to their own lane of traffic. In no situation are you allowed to drive your automobile in the same lane and in close proximity to a motorcycle. No matter how small these vehicles are or how much extra room that there appears to be, sharing a single lane with a motorcycle is a recipe for an accident and illegal.

Make sure to signal your intention to pass a slower motorcyclist by using your left turn signal. Always make sure you are several car lengths ahead of the motorcycle before returning to your lane.

Remember that motorcycles react more quickly than cars. Make sure that you maintain an adequate following distance behind motorcycles. Rear-ending a

Inform motorcyclists of your intention to turn. Initiate your turn signal sooner than you normally would when you know there is a motorcycle driving behind you. Not only is this courteous, it helps to reduce pile-ups involving motorcycles.

Intersections are danger zones. Many vehicle

accidents that involve both automobiles and motorcycles occur at intersections, particularly blind intersections. Always follow the safety protocol for intersections every single time that you approach one: come to a complete halt, view and obey posted traffic signs and signals, look both ways for approaching traffic, and proceed slowly.

Watch for turning motorcycles. Self-cancelling turn signals did not become standard on motorcycles until the late 1970s. There are still many motorcycles on the road today that do not have the self-cancelling turn signals that we are now accustomed to. If you notice that a motorcycle is driving with an activated turn signal for an abnormal distance, increase your following distance so that you have time to react whenever the rider does decide to turn.

Take a second look at left-turns. Before you cross a lane or lanes of traffic to turn left, take a second look for approaching motorcycles. Vehicle accidents involving the collision of a left-turning car and an approaching motorcycle can be very severe, often because the motorcycle t-bones the car while it is mid-way through the left turn.

Remember that there is no such thing as a fenderbender for a motorcycle rider. They are completely exposed. Most multi-vehicle accidents involving motorcycles cause serious or fatal injuries to the riders. It is your responsibility, as the driver of an automobile, to take caution and do everything in your power to prevent motorcycle accidents.

Source: https://driving-tests.org/beginner-drivers/ sharing-the-road-with-motorcycles

not so USELESS RAMBLINGS not so USELESS RAMBLINGS

Genetically Modified

Science has been a great driving force in society for as long as there has been a society. Many great things have come about due to people constantly asking, “Why? How? What if?” Throughout history some of the most complex things that I will never hope to understand have been discovered; some of them have made the world a much better place, but some haven’t. In fact, some of them have been downright terrible, destructive, and deadly.

Newton’s Third Law states, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” While this law applies to force and motion, it can also be applied to science. For every good thing that science has brought to the world, it has also brought a bad thing. I’m not sure that the ratio is equal; I’m almost willing to believe that the bad might outweigh the good… especially in more recent history.

Russian scientist Andrei Nikolaevitch Belozersky isolates pure DNA in 1935. The science world learns libraries full of information about the genetic make-up for every living thing over the next 40ish years. In 1973 the idea of man-made DNA, or Recombinant DNA (rDNA), came from a grad student at Stanford University Medical School. Professor Herbert Boyer and a few of his biologist colleagues decide to run with it. In 1975, a group of biologists got together with a few lawyers and doctors to create the guidelines for the safe use of genetically engineered DNA.

The First Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) patent was issued in 1980. A Supreme Court case between General Electric and the U.S. Patent office is settled in a 5 to 4 ruling, allowing the first patent on a living organism. The GMO in question was a bacterium that was developed to basically eat crude oil, which would be used to clean up oil spills. Obviously we can all see a net positive here.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the marketing of artificial human insulin made from genesplicing techniques in October 1982. It was the first product of genetic engineering to be granted governmental approval for human use. Then in 1994 GMOs began making their way into our grocery stores as the FDA approved the Flavr Savr tomato. This tomato had a delayed ripening so that it had a longer shelf life than conventional tomatoes. Since then, GMOs have made their way into almost everything we put in our bodies.

Now we have GMO resistant weeds and bugs which have necessitated the need for new pesticides that get sprayed all over the crops. Seeds are also being genetically modified to be resistant to the pests. In 2003, a specific caterpillar was found to be resistant to one of the toxins and was creating a huge problem in southern U.S. cotton crops. In 2011, that same toxin was found in pregnant women and there was evidence that it was being passed on to the fetuses.

Today, I’m not sure that our food is even food anymore. After everything that has been done in the name of longer shelf life, pest resistance, and faster reproduction, is there any of the original plant DNA left or are we just eating genetic abominations?

Fast-forward to 2020 and we have science genetically modifying everything for any reason they can think of. Did you know that a factory grown chicken can go from egg hatch to your table in as little as eight weeks? There is no way that would happen without the intervention of GMOs.

When the COVID-19 pandemic was sweeping the globe, some scientists were all abuzz attempting to figure out how to combat the virus; others were just sitting back watching their creation cycle through the world population. Those that were honestly looking for a solution wanted a cure and were probably dismissed by those that created the problem who, in turn, miraculously came up with a vaccine in very short order.

The vaccine was fast-tracked and the standard protocols were set aside. A massive push to get it into as many people as they could in as little time as they could. Multiple campaigns were launched to entice people to line up to be jabbed. Free food was offered. Free Starbucks. The promise of returning to “normalcy” was a favorite for a while. When those weren’t working, they threatened your livelihood; if you don’t get jabbed; you can’t go to work, school, anywhere in “polite society” would be off limits. You’d be fired from your job or kicked out of the military if you didn’t take it.

Needless to say, this very aggressive push to get this vaccine into every human raised some red flags for some people. Many people refused and accepted the consequences. Some of those people are still feeling the effects of their refusal.

Some of us were lucky enough to escape any adverse effects from not bending to the pressures.

However, this didn’t sit well with those that wanted everyone to be injected with the new miracle vax. So send in the GMO industry again! How could they get the vaccine hesitant population to willingly, yet unknowingly, introduce the concoction into their system?

December 7th, 2021 (another date that will live in infamy?), The Washington Post released a story that should make any sane person pause and ask questions. The title was, “First plant-based coronavirus vaccine shows ‘positive’ results, say GlaxoSmithKline and Medicago.”

The New England Journal of Medicine released a paper on June 2, 2022 that stated, “Coronavirus-like particles (CoVLP) that are produced in plants and display the perfusion of spike glycoprotein of the original strain of SARS-CoV2 are combined with adjuvant to form the candidate vaccine.”

I’m not even going to pretend I know what this means exactly, but after reading the entire paper, it’s clear to me that scientists have successfully created food with the COVID vaccine built into its DNA and that they are very concerned about the “Tensions that have been created by the demand for boosters in populations with high

levels of vaccination and the need for primary vaccination in unvaccinated populations.”

Articles from Health.com in October 2022 and The National Library of Medicine in August 2023 state that this plantbased vaccine has been approved by the FDA for use in humans as a two-dose solution.

Currently, there is no evidence, that I’ve found, to suggest that the vegetables in your local grocery store have had their DNA altered with any vaccines, but let’s consider how aggressively the vaccine was being pushed. Consider how hard it is still being pushed, despite all of the documented adverse effects. They really want this concoction in every person on the planet. Why? To what end? If the concoction isn’t already in our foods, how long before it is?

Sadly, it is damn near impossible to get away from all GMOs. You can buy farm fresh beef, poultry, veggies, eggs, and even milk, but the seeds have been GMO for decades and the grains that feed the animals are all GMO. It’s a depressing realization to know that we’re all just another genetically modified organism.

David McCoy - david@thunderroadsiowa.com - facebook.com/TRMIDave - facebook.com/TRMINSUR

“Chomper’s” Chopper, the Orange Panhead of Jeremy’s has been al l over the country at various points, hitting both coasts. Megan was really eyeballing this bad ass scooter as we were talking about the reason for the photoshoot, to promote Sleeping Angels Foundation and their annual Sleeping Angels Fun Run on May 4th. The foundation has given w ell over a million dollars to families in need after the loss of a little one. They started off small out of Boone, and now have extended all over Iowa and beyond. Maybe someday they will make the same c laim to fame as Jeremy’s Pan and will be coast to coast! More info on the foundation and th e Fun Run can be found at www.safi owa.com/events or Sleeping Angels Fun Run on Facebook.

TORNADO’S GRUB & PUB

1600 3rd Street SE

Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403

319.364.9378

Grub Hours

Mon–Sat 11 am–10 pm

Closed On Sundays

Pub Hours

Mon–Sat 11 am–2 am

Closed On Sundays

I ended up in Cedar Rapids for the Parts Girl Swap Meet and a COC meeting, and decided finally that I was going to go eat and take some pictures at Tornado’s Grub & Pub. We have been here before and loved the food, but due to the food looking so good when it arrived, or being so hungry that we just dug in, we never thought about any photos until our meals were half eaten. No one wants to see a photo of that, so we just had to come back when we were diligent enough to remember to take a photo. Now this time we got a couple shots of the awesome grub, but want you to know that this has been a review in the making for a few years.

Tornado’s is located in what they call The District, also referred to as Czech Village, New Bohemia, or Newbo for short. It is an area east of the river south of the downtown area. This general part of the city is place that has grown or been renovated as a gathering point and shopping type of center. There are all sorts of cultural attractions, shopping, and food & drink locations. One could spend all day or longer just roaming around this one area of Cedar Rapids. This family owned place has had its share of struggles with

floods and what not, but they have cleaned up and powered on…doing the whole keep on keepin’ on thing.

The menu is pub-diverse, but they are known for their burgers. With a windy name like that, it is no big surprise that they name some of them after the Fujimoto scale, so you can get an F1, F2, and so forth. There are also other specialty burgers and a build your own burger option which is pretty damn cool.

This particular trip, I opted for one I had not tried before, the Ham-Burger Dip. I was a little confused by the name, until it struck me, like a hamburger version of a French Dip, but with ground beef and ham. A half-pound patty, smoked ham, some jalapeño slices, grilled onions, and pepper jack cheese, with mayo. The sandwich is then split in half, and charred on the open side on the open faces, then served with au jus for dipping. I had never considered dipping a burger in au jus before, but now I think I need to change my opinion of all things burger. The toasting from the char grill made it so that the bread held the au jus just right, without making the bun soggy and lame. The burger patty was juicy and flavorful, and cooked to my liking. The added accompaniments on the burger and bun blended very well with the sandwich and dipping sauce and came together very nicely for a fine pub meal. The crinkle cut French fries were fried to perfection with a crispy exterior and soft fluffy potato interior. Just the right amount of texture with the soft inner potato was a match made in heaven for the sandwich and also for dipping in the au jus.

I ended up going midafternoon after a meeting, and didn’t have a chance to go along with anyone else, but Ben and Steffens and crew went later on that night and reported an awesome experience as well. Ben had a custom built burger with sauerkraut that was amazing. He also said the coleslaw was the best he had ever had and was very unique with vinegar based dressing and julienned sweet peppers. Now I will need to go back and try that the next time around! On top of some damn good grub, they have a good selection of local and national varieties of drinks on tap, and a wider selection otherwise.

Tornado’s Pub and Grub is a must stop for food and drink in Cedar Rapids. Swing on in and grab a bite. Tell them that Thunder Roads sent ya! Until next time, enjoy the ride!

Vernon

If you have a WRTE location for us to visit, please let me know at Melanie@thunderroadsiowa.com

A waiter gives a gentleman a cup of coffee. The gentleman takes a sip and spits it out. He turns to the waiter and says, “Waiter! This coffee tastes like mud!” The waiter, looking surprised, turns to the gentleman and says, “But, sir, it’s fresh ground!”

What did the leper say to the prostitute?

Keep the tip.

haven’t you spoken before?” The boy looked at her and replied, “Up until now, everything has been satisfactory.”

Anal sex is like getting a minivan. It hurts at first, but then you’re surprised at how much you can fit inside!

My husband and I were dressed and ready to go out for a lovely evening of dinner and theatre. Having been burgled in the past, we turned on a ‘night light’ and the security camera, then put the cat in the backyard. When our cab arrived, we walked out our front door and our rather tubby cat scooted between our legs inside, then ran up the stairs. Because our cat likes to chase our budgie, we really didn’t want to leave them unchaperoned so my husband ran inside to retrieve her and put her in the back yard again. Because I didn’t want the taxi driver to know our house was going to be empty all evening, I explained to him that my husband would be out momentarily as he was just bidding goodnight to my mother. A few minutes later he got into the cab all hot and bothered, and said (to my growing horror and amusement) as the cab pulled away. “Sorry it took so long but the stupid bitch was hiding under the bed and I had to poke her arse with a coat hanger to get her to come out! She tried to take off so I grabbed her by the neck and wrapped her in a blanket so she wouldn’t scratch me like she did last time. But it worked! I hauled her fat arse down the stairs and threw her into the backyard…she had better not shit in the vegetable garden again.”

They say that during sex you burn off as many calories as running eight miles. Who the hell runs eight miles in 30 seconds?

A wife got so mad at her husband she packed his bags and told him to get out. As he walked to the door she yelled, “I hope you die a long, slow, painful death.” He turned around and said, “So, you want me to stay?”

The wife and I took a long, leisurely drive out to the country and pulled over to fill up our car’s gas tank and tires... She was surprised to see that the station had a fee to fi ll the tires and asked me, “Why in the world do they charge for AIR?!” I responded, “Inflation.”

Two children ordered their mother to stay in bed one Mother’s Day morning. As she lay there looking forward to breakfast in bed, the smell of bacon floated up from the kitchen. But after a good long wait she finally went downstairs to investigate. She found them both sitting at the table eating bacon and eggs. “As a surprise for Mother’s Day,” one explained, “we decided to cook our own breakfast.”

What’s the difference between an enzyme and a hormone? You can’t hear an enzyme.

Two crows were in a field when they noticed a figure that looked like a man in the distance. “See that over there? What is that?”, says the fi crow. The second crows takes a long look, “That’s a scarecrow. Looks authentic, doesn’t it.” “How can you tell it’s a scarecrow and not a person?”, replies the first crow. “Look at its hand. No cellphone”, says the second crow.

I understand how you get Bob from Robert and Bill from William. But how do you get dick from Richard? You ask him nicely.

There was once an island kingdom whose people were all fabulously wealthy. Even though they could have afforded to live anywhere they wanted, tradition dictated they stay on their tiny island home. Eventually, their king became frustrated and called a meeting of the tribe’s elders. He said he wanted them to figure out a way he could enjoy his wealth, and stay within traditional guidelines. After much consideration, the elders suggested he build a magnificent throne. When he objected there was not enough room in his hut for a throne, the elders suggested he call in an engineer to solve the problem. Soon, the king’s tiny hut was rigged with an elaborate system of ropes and pulleys. He could lower the huge throne for use during the day, and at night, he could haul the throne up, and lower his bed. This was truly the best of both worlds for the king. Unfortunately, after a few months of constant use, the ropes frayed, and one night, the throne slipped and came crashing down on the king, killing him. The wise men of the island recognized a lesson in this experience and added to the lore of their people this statement: “People who live in grass houses should not stow thrones.”

An eight-year old boy had never spoken a word. One afternoon, as he sat eating his lunch he turned to his mother and said, “The soup is cold.” His astonished mother exclaimed, “Son, I’ve waited so long to hear you speak. But all these years you never said a thing. Why

What do a pizza delivery man and a gynecologist have in common? They both get close enough to smell the goods, but if they eat it they’ll be in trouble.

A man walks into a doctor’s office, sits down and says, “Now, doctor, this may sound kind of strange, but I have five penises.” Taken aback, the doctor asks him, “My God, how do your pants fit?” To which the man replies, “Like a glove.”

A man is flying in a hot-air balloon and realizes he is lost. He reduces height and spots a man below. He lowers the balloon farther and shouts, “Excuse me! Can you tell me where I am?” The man below says: “Yes, you’re in a hotair balloon, hovering 30 feet above this field.” “You must be an engineer,” says the balloonist. “I am,” replies the

man. “How did you know?” “Well,” says the balloonist, “everything you have told me is technically correct, but it’s no use to anyone.” The man below says, “You must be in management.” “I am,” replies the balloonist, “but how did you know?” “Well,” says the man, “you don’t know where you are or where you’re going, but you expect me to be able to help. You’re in the same position you were before we met, but now it’s my fault.”

A guy traveling through a small town walks into the only bar. There’s one other patron in the entire place, already drunk. The drunk man stumbles over, wraps an arm around the traveler’s shoulder and begins to talk. “Did you see that fence on your way in? I built that fence. Do they call me FenceBuilder Johnson? No...” He downs a shot of whiskey. “Did you see that barn down the road? I built that barn. Do they call me BarnRaiser Johnson? No...” He downs another shot of whiskey. “Did you see those storefronts on the main road in town? I built those. Do they call me Storefront Johnson? No...” He downs yet another shot of whiskey. “But you fuck ONE goat...”

I once saw a one-handed man in a second-hand store. I told him, “I don’t think they have what you’re looking for, sir.”

A climber fell off a cliff, and, as he tumbled down, he caught hold of a small branch. “Help! Is there anybody up there?” he shouted. A majestic voice boomed through the gorge: “I will help you, my son, but first you must have faith in me.” “Yes, yes, I trust you!” cried the man. “Let go of the branch,” boomed the voice. There was a long pause, and the man shouted up again, “Is there anybody else up there?”

Give a man a plane ticket and he flies for the day, but push him out of the plane at 3,000 feet and he’ll fly for the rest of his life.

How many Freudian analysts does it take to change a light bulb? Two. One to change it, and the other to hold the penis. LADDER. I MEANT LADDER.

Every time a little boy went to a playmate’s house, he found the friend’s grandmother deeply engrossed in her Bible. Finally his curiosity got the better of him. “Why do you suppose your grandmother reads the Bible so much?” he asked. “I’m not sure,” said his friend, “but I think she’s cramming for her finals.”

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied that it only took a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish. The fisherman said

he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?” The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, señor.” The American scoffed. “I am a Wharton MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then L.A., and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.” The fisherman asked, “But how long will this all take?” To which the American replied, “Fifteen or 20 years.” “But what then?” The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions.” “Millions? Then what?” The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your friends.”

A pair of cows were talking in the field. One says, “Have you heard about the mad cow disease that’s going around?” “Yeah,” the other cow says. “Makes me glad I’m a penguin.”

The teacher asked little Johnny if he knew his numbers. “Yes,” he said. “My father taught me.” “Good. What comes after three?” “Four,” answered the boy. “What comes after six?” “Seven.” “Very good,” said the teacher. “Your dad did a good job. And what comes after 10?” “Jack.”

A man went to visit a friend and was amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. The man watched the game in astonishment for a while. “I can hardly believe my eyes!” he said. “That’s the smartest dog I’ve ever seen.” “He’s not so smart,” the friend replied. “I’ve beaten him three games out of five.”

John visited his 90-year-old grandpa who lived way out in the country. On the first morning of the visit, John’s grandpa prepared a breakfast of bacon and eggs. John noticed a fi lm-like substance on his plate, and asked, “Are these plates clean?” His grandpa replied, “They’re as clean as cold water can get them. Just go ahead and finish your meal.” For lunch, Grandpa made hamburgers. Again, John was concerned about the plates, as his appeared to have specks of dried egg on it. “Are you sure these plates are clean?” he asked. Without looking up, Grandpa said, “I told you before, those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them!” Later, as John was leaving, his grandpa’s dog started to growl and wouldn’t let him pass. John said, “Grandpa, your dog won’t let me get by!” Grandpa yelled to the dog, “Cold Water, go lie down!”

Motorcycles in Competition #149

The Planning Makes Me Happy

I am just gagging to feel that sting of summer on my skin. Sure, I just bastardized a Kid Rock line, I am sure he’s good with it, but legit, bring this summer shit on and let’s just roll. I wanna hear bikes echo on my patio. I wanna have group text messages with the peeps I ride with about what our riding plans are on Saturday, discussing what direction to go, what we are thinking of eating…I am ready. I want to sit on my deck on a Wednesday night with a beer and a cigar, tweaking a playlist I can’t wait to jam the next time I swing my leg over the Wing, wife pops on the back and we point East out of our neighborhood to points unknown.

And you can bet your left lug nut there will be Kid Rock on that playlist.

My brain has this strange twist to it and might not be that different than you or anyone else, but when spring comes, I get this strange, I don’t know, excitement or feeling of optimism that is a part of my entire being. It just gives me a sense of promise, a sense of longing for the outdoors, for growth or for a rebirth. It’s not something I think is really different than anybody else, right? The phrase “Hope Springs Eternal” might be correct, in the spring I have eternal optimism…that is just in me.

It is a super rare morning that I am not up before the sunrise, it was beat into me as a young man on the farm in NW Iowa, my dad was a morning person and therefore he felt I needed to be a morning person as well. It didn’t matter if we had a project that day on the farm, if it was something that actually required daylight to complete; my dad felt you should be up before the goddamn sun was. I think he didn’t like coffee alone, not sure why, but he conditioned me to be up, and once my feet hit the ground it was a go time. Now, let me clear something up, this wasn’t something I hated, it started at such an early age I never really knew anything different and assumed that most of the farm kids around me lived in the same manner. It was just how I was raised. It didn’t seem like a form of punishment or even a dick move. He was just always that way and it was just a part of my being.

For the better part of three decades I had to be at work doing a morning radio show that required me to get up and “be on” before the sun came up and being conditioned to do it, it was always easy for me to do, even now on the weekends when I don’t need an alarm, I wake up. Buddies want to meet early to ride, golf, hunt, fish, or do whatever, I am not the one anyone worries about being on time. I will be up. There is a reason I mention all of this and the point is… every single morning I am outside before the sun gets up and I “feel” what the weather is like, what it smells like, what the day might bring, and I get excited when I walk out and can smell spring in the air and it fires me up when I can.

Granted this past winter wasn’t the worst I have had to deal

with but at the same time, its still winter. You can have a nice warm day, but as soon as that sun goes down, it gets bitter and you know its still winter. Spring doesn’t do that to you. Sure you can (and will) have a colder night, but you don’t have the bitter cold, it’s something that you can adapt to on your patio or even leather up for the ride home. It’s just better.

Look, a warm spring day, riding through the incredible Iowa countryside as it greens up, you find a legendary pork tenderloin or a basket of wings and some unexpected small town bar then after you put the bikes away you sit around a fire and it lasts into the night, it is just the best and while those days are few and far between, so when they hit, they hit even better.

Is there a better text chain with your riding friends than in the middle of the week you get that text “weather looks great this weekend, who wants to ride?”

I mean, you are in the middle of it during the week, you have a ton of crap you have to get done, the grind is on, we have all been there and suddenly, “ding” that phone goes off and it’s the text about riding! It’s the best. Suddenly you start thinking, what direction should we go, what local events are taking place we might want to hit, or what event is going on that I really want to avoid!

Man, the planning stages of an upcoming ride are just the best! I mean, the roads are wide open, you can check out which direction you want to go, adjust to the forecasted wind. Let’s go.

For whatever reason, our home has become the launch pad for our riding adventures, not sure how that actually came to be. Likely because we have a big enough driveway? LOL, it is likely the result of our location, the people we ride with come from all different directions and out place is the middle of it all, another reason everything starts at our place, and this is the most likely the case, it’s because the day seems to always end on our patio. Which was built to be inviting by design, but the spring time ride comes to and end and the day doesn’t have to stop when you have

more conversations to have. I have enough reason why the rides usually start at my place; I ride in the front dammit. I like being the one that picks where we are going to go! Not being a prick about it but you might like your loud pipes, but they ride behind me so I can enjoy the sounds I want to hear.

Of course I can get along with other riders, of course I can be tolerant of where other people want to go, in fact during the week, I will even let others offer input on where they might like to ride, I mean, I will take it under advisement but by the time the weekend rolls around I know where we are going to go and I make them feel like they have input.

I am kidding, only a little, but the spring weather just gives me so much joy in knowing an adventure is coming up and I just love the ever expanding daylight spring brings, the warming air, the smells in the air and getting friends back together to just get out and ride.

One last thing that I really love about this time of the year is the businesses that welcome bikers all seem super cool and excited to see the groups roll back in and spend money. Spending money is what bikers do very well.

Get out and ride this spring, find the friends that you want to ride with, find businesses that support riding, support the ones you find on the pages of Thunder Roads Magazine.

We need to celebrate each other, celebrate spring, and get back into the kick ass weather that gets us out of the houses and back on open road. I just love this time of year and I love the expectation of future rides, it’s the best.

If you show up, walk around back, you will find me on the patio with a beer and building a new play list for this weekend.

Todd “Crash” Davis

2024 AIMExpo

Dealers and manufacturers filled the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Tuesday through Thursday, February 6-8, for the sold-out 2024 AIMExpo. More than 370 exhibitors, which was up significantly from last year’s claimed number of 325, set up shop on the building’s 225,000-square-foot floor. As a result, the organizers had to open a whole new floor for last-minute exhibitors.

The annual exposition showcases the latest power sports machines, accessories, gear, parts and services. Brands get the chance to meet face-to-face with new dealers and prospective distributors. Like last year, the AIMExpo was not open to the public.

This year’s show saw several new models unveiled. Moto Morini pulled the cover off its 2025 X-Cape 1200 adventure bike and its new Corsaro 750 sport bike. Yamaha showcased a new electric three-wheel concept vehicle. Triumph Motorcycles showed off its new TF 250-X motocross bike on the heels of its Supercross racing debut. KTM launched its 1390 Super Duke R Evo, which helps celebrate 30 years of Duke heritage in 2024.

The Husqvarna, GasGas and Felt fleet of bikes also displayed new lines alongside their KTM Group relatives. Suzuki, Kawasaki, Indian, Kove and CFMOTO were among a few of the other approximately two dozen OEMs in attendance. Some of the major distributors on hand included Automatic Distributors, Drag Specialties, Parts Unlimited, Turn 14 Distribution and Rocky Mountain ATV/ MC.

EVs had a major presence at the show. There were several battery-powered motorcycles and E-bikes on display from many manufacturers that you probably never heard of, like Arctic Leopard, Gowow and boom!Moto. The only hitch over the two-and-a-half days happened on Tuesday afternoon when reportedly a battery from one of the EV two-wheelers on display began smoking,

causing a precautionary evacuation of the building. Within an hour, everyone was allowed back inside.

Here’s a look at some of the more interesting “stuff” that we saw at this year’s AIMExpo.

CFMOTO debuted its new Ibex 450 ADV motorcycle that is powered by a liquid-cooled 449cc parallel-twin engine with a DOHC valve train and a 270-degree crank with dual counter balancers. Claimed horsepower is 44 at 8500 rpm. You also get full LED lighting and a five-inch curved TFT with Bluetooth. MSRP is $6499.

There is also a cruiser version, the CFMOTO 450CL-C.

Unlike most of the EV motorcycles we saw, the Ryvid Anthem is made in the USA: San Bernardino, California, to be exact. It is 50-state street legal and includes an adjustable seat height and 75 mph top speed. Among other unique features, the removable battery with integrated charger includes wheels to make it easy to transport to a convenient charging area for those who live in urban areas.

Watch the AIM Expo video highlights for anything you might have missed! Visit Cycle News Digital Edition for February 18, 2024 at cyclenews.com

Mar 22-24 Omaha Chapter AMCA National Swap Meet

Fremont NE

Mar 22-23 Spring Season Opener Big Barn HD Des Moines

Mar 23 D14 TGIS Hedrick

Mar 23 29th Annual Metro Pancake Breakfast Metro HD Cedar Rapids

Mar 23-24 35th Annual Donnie Smith Show and Swap Saint Paul, MN

Apr 3-7 Arizona Bike Week Scottsdale, AZ

Apr 6 Blessing of the Bikes HD of Carroll

Apr 6-7 37th Annual North Iowa Motorcycle EXPO

Mason City

Apr 7 Parts Girl Promotions Swap Meet Rock Island, IL

Apr 7 Hill Blazers Hill Climb Logan

Apr 19-20 Iowa Vintage Motorcycle & Scooter Swap Meet Humboldt

Apr 20 Bike Blessing Route 65 HD Indianola

Apr 20 D18 Leather Ride Burlington

Apr 20 620 Spring SXS Ride Metro HD Cedar Rapids

Apr 27 BACA Pancake Breakfast Metro HD Cedar Rapids

Apr 27 Bike Blessing Big Barn HD Des Moines

Apr 28 Sgt James C. Kearney, III Memorial Run Emerson

May 3-4 Vintage Torque Fest Dubuque

May 4 13th Annual Sleeping Angels Fun Run Boone

May 4 4th Annual Iowa Paralyzed Veterans Poker Run Donnellson

May 4 18th Annual Chrome Divas of Cedar Rapids Ride Cedar Rapids

May 26 Annual Motorcycle Fun Run Lake Park

Jun 1 Patti’s Riders 4 Thrivers Poker Run Council Bluffs

Jun 1 D18 Memorial Ride New London

Jun 1 D6 Honor Our Heroes Ride Iowa Veterans Home Marshalltown

Jun 2 Shootout Saloon Sunday Funday Dexter

Jun 2 Motorcycle Hill Climb Anamosa

Jun 2 Blessing of the Bikes Marshalltown

Jun 7-8 Summer Open House Big Barn HD Des Moines

Jun 8 8th Annual Veterans Assistance Ride American Legion Newton

Jun 8 Clean, Fast, & Loud Tour Road Rage Bikeworks Avoca

Jun 8 Chosen Few MC 55th Anniversary Party Cedar Rapids

Jun 8 5th Annual Motorcycle Rodeo Missouri Valley

Jun 8 Sarak Mok Memorial Bike/Car Show Johnston

Jun 9 Ride to Iowa Firefighter Memorial Coralville

Jun 15 Roar Into Harlan Fun Run Harlan

Jun 15 Father’s Day Event Big Barn HD Des Moines

Jun 21-22 Summer Event Big Barn HD Des Moines

Jun 22 1st Annual Petty Ride Jesup

Jun 14-15 Rumble in the Sand Conesville

May 4 Annual CMA Bike Blessing Crapo Park Burlington

May 4 Blessing of the Bikes American Legion Newton

May 5 Biker Sunday Morningside Bible Church Sioux City

May 5 6th Annual 1st Baptist Bike Blessing Muscatine

May 5 40th Annual Spring Auto/Motorcycle Swap Meet Monticello

May 11 Bikes, Coffee, Trophies Pleasant Hill

May 11 Clean, Fast, & Loud Tour Pleasant Hill

May 11 Mother’s Day Event Big Barn HD Des Moines

May 17-18 Rust Resurrection Traditional Hot Rod Show/Swap

Conesville

May 17-18 Demo Days Big Barn HD Des Moines

May 18

Mean Machine Dyno Shootout Elkhart

May 18 D16 Annual Awareness Ride Cedar Falls

May 19 Northwest Christian Church Bike Blessing Council Bluffs

May 20-21 15th Annual MRF Bikers Inside the Beltway Washington D.C.

May 23-26 Redneck Revival Conesville

May 25-27 Midway Tavern’s 26th Annual Veterans Memorial BBQ, Poker Run, & Street Dance Soldier

Jun 22-23 Harleys In The Heartland Poker Run Runnells

Jul 3-6 ABATE of Iowa Freedom Rally Algona

Jul 4-6 Iowa Hog Drags and Nostalgia Reunion Humboldt

Jul 5-7 Good Guys Heartland National Show Des Moines

Jul 6 17th Annual Freeman Ride Avoca

May 26 Dale Michel Memorial Poker Run Woodbine

Jul 12-13 11th Annual Combat Vets Chapter 39-3 Benefit Ride/Cruise Elkport

Jul 17-21 Sturgis Kentucky Bike Rally

Jul 19-21 43rd Annual British Biker Cooperative Rally and Bike Show Blue River, WI

Jul 20 7th Annual Cruizin for a Cure Charity Ride Metro HD Cedar Rapids

Jul 20 11th Annual Ride 4 Time With Friends of Mine Poker Run Baxter

Jul 20 Clean, Fast, & Loud Tour Pleasant Hill

Jul 20 D18 Hospice Ride Burlington

Jul 20 Summer Celebration Big Barn HD Des Moines

Jul 20 11th Annual Ride 4 Time Annual Poker Run Baxter

Jul 23 Dirty Biker Design RAGBRAI Bike Night Winterset

Jul 25-28 Omaha Bike Week Ralston, NE

Jul 25-28 H-D Homecoming Milwaukee, WI

Jul 27 1st Annual Memorial Ride for Andy Wiese Council Bluffs

Jul 27 Pine Lake Festival Bike Show Eldora

Aug 2-11 Black Hills Motorcycle Rally South Dakota

Aug 10 AtlanticFest Bike and Car Show Atlantic

Aug 16-18 20th Annual BTW Trike In Kellogg

Aug 17 Hell on Wheels #7 Donnellson

Aug 18 6th Annual Cancer Sucks Car, Truck, & Bike Show Council Bluffs

Aug 18 D18 Quad Picnic Blakesburg

Aug 23-24 Charlotte Days Car & Motorcycle Show Charlotte

Aug 28-Sep 1 Redneck Revival Conesville

Aug 29-31 53rd Annual Motorcycle Swap Meet Davenport

Aug 31-Sep 1 Midway Tavern’s 261960th Annual Soldier Valley Poker Run, BBQ/Dance/Concert Soldier

Sep 8 Motorcycle Hill Climb Anamosa

Sep 13-14 Fall Event Big Barn HD Des Moines

Sep 14 Mean Machine “Smalltown Throwdown” Burnout Contest & Stereo Battle Elkhart

Sep 15 Butterfield’s M-C Parts Hot Dog Daze Omaha, NE

Sep 18-21 Bikes, Blues, BBQ Motorcycle Rally Rogers, AR

Sep 20-21 Rumble in the Sand Conesville

Sep 21 Bike Night & BBQ Cook Off Stuart

Sep 22 D18 Toys for Tots Ride Burlington

Sep 26-29 40th Annual MRF Meeting of the Minds St Louis, MO

Sep 28 Apple Fest Car and Bike Show Woodbine

Oct 25-26 Spooktacular Event Big Barn HD Des Moines Oct

31-Nov 3 Lone Star Rally Galveston, TX

Nov 1-3 Iowa Steam Council Bluffs

Nov 8-9 Veteran’s Day Event & Holiday Event Big Barn HD Des Moines

Nov 29 Black Friday Big Barn HD Des Moines

Dec 14 Holiday Open House Big Barn HD Des Moines www.thunderroadsiowa.com