Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa Iowa Bike Nights and Dinner Rides Dinner Rides
TUESDAY
Teufelhund Veterans Group Anamosa 5-19, 6-23, 7-28, 8-25)
The Gypsy Highway Davenport (3rd or 4th Tuesdays)
Wednesday
Back Forty Bike Night the Barn Des Moines (2nd Wed May, Jun, Jul, Sep)
Benolas Baxter
The Honkytonk Clarksville
Dinner Rides Zylstra HD Ames
Thursday
Bikes on the Hundred Block Council Bluffs (3rd Thurs)
Roar Into Harlan (3rd Thurs)
Metro HD Cedar Rapids (2nd Thurs May-Aug, 3rd Thurs Sep)
East of Omaha Bike Night Griswold (1st Thurs May-Sep)
Capt. Roys Vintage Bike Night Des Moines (1st Thurs)
Iowa City HD Coralville (3rd Thurs May-Aug, Sep 24)
Fireside Lounge Atlantic (4th Thurs)
Hide’s Inn Camanche (Last Thurs Jun-Aug)
Friday
Bondurant Bike Night (Last Fri May-Jul)
Centerville Bike Night (4th Fri)
American Legion Post 232 Polk City (2nd Fri May-Sep)
Silver Eagle HD Waterloo (Select Fridays)
Saturday
Colfax Saturday Night Cruise (5-2, 6-6, 7-11, 8-1, 9-12)
Sunday
Just 1 More Jamaica (Starting in May)
I feel like I should have seen more people by now? I feel like I have been out and about on two wheels more this year than the past few years, and have seen a ton of old friends. My odometer readings certainly tell me that I have had many more miles of opportunity to see more people, but it still sticks in my mind that I am behind this year in that aspect. I have also met a ton of new peeps and reconnected with some from years back. All that is well and good, but still keep thinking with just a couple of months left in the main part of the 2026 riding season, I should have been able to be more present in our riding season. I guess it is what it is, and that cannot be changed, so by gosh I am going to keep rolling around as best I can and make sure I see as many people as I can, old and new friends. If you see me out and about, please make a point to shake my hand and chat. These connections with other
like-minded people are priceless to me and I value the friendships dearly. Hope to see you out on the road and at events!
On the Cover
This 1977 Harley-Davidson FXE project started as a phone call from my friend Joe. He informed me he had just snagged a Shovel that he’s been trying to buy for the last 20 years. The owner called him said it was for sale. Joe bought it sight unseen. As well as you can expect it wasn’t in the shape he had hoped. The bike was too close to original to chop it up, so the goal was to bring it back to original-ish.
I told Joe I’d be very interested in the bike if he wanted to sell it and if he would help me bring it back to original.
He said yes and I’m thinking he might’ve regretted that decision at this particular point in time. 18 months later, we have a gorgeous, Super Glide with lots of new parts. Paint was done by my good friend Don Wiles out of Greenwood.
Finding the AMF Tank logo was quite a challenge. We had to go all the way to Belgium for that one. There are considerable new and rebuilt parts that make this bike runs out great. I could not be happier, big thanks to Joe. He said it was a labor of love, but he emphasized the word labor. The plan now is to ride and have fun with this 50-year-old machine. Riley made this thing look even better, and the shots were taken by bike owner Mark Fountain who can be found at https://www.fountainphoto.net/
Every month of the year, with the exception of August, has a federal holiday or multiple federal holidays. Why did August get left out of the mix? Has nothing of national importance ever shaken out in the 8th month? Something big has to happen on a national scale to be able to have a federal holiday. Is August Uncle Sam’s red headed stepchild of months and got forgotten about? Has this great nation just been so damned busy with summer that it was just as easy to coast through August and prepare for the final few months of the year? Is it just too damned hot in August to worry about celebrating anything? Are the after effects of trying to stay warm in the winter making for a slow month of August due to the popularity of this month for popping out babies? Is it too hot for the full-term mothers to be to be doing anything very exciting and keeping everyone on a low-key activity regimen? What ever the case may be, some of the local holidays and national observances just are not cutting it. Some of these I don’t even know where they hell they get them from. August 8th is International Cat Day, I didn’t even know they could travel internationally? Do cats need a passport to do so? August 1st is National Girlfriends Day, so what about those that don’t have a girlfriend? If ya don’t have one, are you supposed to look for one on that day? I could see a lot of trouble out of that day’s festivities if so. National Friendship Day is the first Sunday in August, which this year fall on the 2nd of August. Hell, I think every day is friendship day, we need to love and appreciate our true friends and cherish them more than just one day in August. National Dog Day is August 26th as well on the list of things to celebrate or acknowledge. Cats got an international day, and they are generally sneaky little bastards of critters, but the beloved pooches only get a national day? What’s up with that? Dogs in general scare the shit out of me or I shy away from them from bad canine experiences in my youth, but I think they too should have an International Day of Celebration. How about we come up with our own Federal Holiday for August? Send me some ideas on what you think we should pursue, and I will shoot the ideas up the ladder and see what shakes out. Bikers should have a day of notice that is significant on the federal level. Why the hell not? Let me know!
Thanks to everyone reading and following us here, and thanks to all those that support us on these pages and otherwise. We could not do it without you! Enjoy the month, enjoy the ride, enjoy each other! Ride Safe
Vernon Schwarte
vernon@thunderroadsiowa.com
Proud Editor/Owner Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa
Proud Owner Thunder Guns West and Thunder Guns
IMDA Board Member
The last couple of months have flown by like one of Elon’s rockets, leaving me feeling like Casey Jones on his runaway train. It been exhausting and crazy busy for a couple of oldtimers. We have been able to get in a few ABATE and CMA rides in between storms and it looks like the Freedom Rally got its share of heat and rain. I’m just thankful for the events we have been able to attend and that the end-of-theschool-year kids’ concerts and multiple graduations are over. I told these kids if they just dropped out and went to work it would save their grandparents a lot of time and money but they weren’t buying it. We really are proud of all their accomplishments and look forward to seeing what life holds for them in the future, though my wallet might take quite a while to recover. Unfortunately, one of the out-of-state graduations back in May occurred the same weekend as the Conesville Red Neck Rally which we have faithfully attended for decades. I ended up leaving in the middle of the rally but at least was able to help set up, see friends and spend one night there. This rally has morphed into a higher percentage of a side-by-side and golf cart rally than the old bike rally but is still loads of fun. Kind of reminds me of being at the old drive-in movies watching the bands with row upon row of carts in front of the stage. Everything changes but Pam and Possum still throw a great time. When I got home, I got lazy and instead of unpacking everything I thought I’d just leave the pile and have a good start on packing for Algona and Sturgis.
I did notice and was sad to see at several of these aforementioned graduations the absence of any reference, acknowledgement, honor, or thanks to God in the proceedings. This was always a central part of the openings, closings and various speeches from administration members and students that I remember from my day. I even saw that there were several of the administration and teachers who didn’t even have the respect to hold a hand over their hearts during the National Anthem. It scares me for the future of our country and our youth who don’t have that foundation to build on. Many are woefully ignorant of the Biblical principles and moral underpinnings of our country and as a result, have and will be making bad decisions.
The societal effect of the lack of prayers, removal of God from everything, and the flood of illegal immigration have all had huge consequences on our elections, the increase we see in lawlessness and fomenting of corruption of all kinds. Immigration when done correctly is a good thing but immigration without assimilation is just plain invasion. That’s why one of our greatest Presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, said to “beware the hyphenated American”. One of my grandfather’s came from Sweden as a teenager and the first thing he did was join the army and fight in WW1. He wanted to be an American and appreciated the opportunity.
Scripture tells us that there is nothing new under the sun; same old tricks and deceptions of the devil, just wrapped up differently. As far back as in the garden, Satan wanted to ruin our relationship with God and his plan for us. He then tried up to Noah’s flood to corrupt the blood line that Jesus would come through with fallen angels having relations with the daughters of man. Now it’s the removal of God and his word from the minds and institutions of our people. If we are to survive the onslaught we need to remember and restore the knowledge of the true King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The book of Joshua reminded the people to take careful heed to “Do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all our heart and soul.”
I was encouraged to see this president praying a rededication of this nation and reading the 2nd Chronicles 7:14 verse over us all. “If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wickedness; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Lord watch over this country on our 250th anniversary and let us remember from where all our blessings derive. With God all things are possible.
Blessings, Mark
Mark and 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
Dirty Biker Design 61 W Washington Street Winterset, Iowa 50273 www.DirtyBikerDesign.com 515-444-9050
Hell Bent Hotrods
Kickass Designs, Quality Garments Shirts | Hats | Gear | Attitude www.hellbentapparel.com Hell Bent Hot Rods on Facebook
Dealers
Baxter Cycle 311 4th Street Marne, Iowa 51552 712-781-2351 www.baxtercycle.com
Metro Harley-Davidson 2415 Westdale Drive SW Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404 319-362-9496
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
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
Fireside Lounge 504 W 7th ST
Atlantic, IA 50022
712-243-2426
Open Daily at Noon
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
Entertainment
Book Em Dano’s 33 S Main Street Denison, Iowa 51442
712-263-9818 Mon-Sat 4-2
Dancers Nightly 5-1:30
Food and Drink
(Popular Poker & Fun Run Locations)
Busch’s Duck Stop Tavern 608 Inman Street Mallard, Iowa 50562 712-425-3384
Facebook: Busch’s Duck Stop Tavern
Catfish Charlie’s
Riverside Tavern 450 E Main St Lehigh, Iowa 50557515-359-9998
Riverside Tavern on Facebook
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
On the Mississippi River 1630 E. 16th Street Dubuque, IA 52001 (563)582-8600
www.CatfishCharliesDubuque.com
Desperados 105 E 5th Street Atlantic 712-243-7087
Home of Cold Beer, Good Times, Homemade Pizza
Desperados
403 East St Street Shelby 712-207-2144
Home of Cold Beer, Good Times, Homemade Pizza
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
Just 1 More 515-570-4206 641-757-0159
309 Railway Jamaica, Iowa 50128
Level B – Bar & Grill 805 6th Street Manning, Iowa 51455 712-655-9290
Level B on Facebook
Mi Casa Family Restaurant 512 Market Street Harlan, Iowa 51537 712-755-2258
Enjoy Drinks at the Full Bar!
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!
Stumpy’s Bar & Grill
423 Main Street Duncombe, Iowa 50532 515-543-4222
Stumpy’s Bar & Grill on Facebook
The Buck Snort Restaurant bucksnortrestaurants.com All 5 locations Neola, Glenwood, Oakland Harlan, Council Bluffs
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
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
Guns and Ammo
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 ONLINE SALES www.tgwia.com
Insurance & Financial
Shops & Fabricators
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 Street Washington, Iowa52353 319-461-5278
State Farm
Clark Ahrenholtz, Agent 2114 12th Street Harlan, Iowa 712-755-5724
Clark.ahrenholtz.jb69@statefarm.com
Legal
Hupy and Abraham - S.C., P.C. Lawyers For Bikers
$ BILLIONS COLLECTED $ 1.800.800.5678 www.hupy.com
TheBikerLawyers.com
The Biker Lawyers, P.C. Riding & Defending Your Rights for Over 30 Years 877-209-9452
Photo and Art
Ullrich Photography PO Box 1842
Clinton, Iowa 52733 563-243-8715 www.natanic.com
Cycle Clinic 2209 ML King Pkwy Des Moines, Iowa 50314 cycleclinicdm.com 515-288-6954
Grizzly’s Motorworx 102 2nd Ave SE Altoona, Iowa 50009
grizzlysmotorworx@hotmail.com 515-967-0898
Lehman Chompers
Jeremy & Donna Lehman Des Moines, Iowa 515-201-8866
Lehman Chompers on Facebook
Mean Machine Cycles Elkhart, Iowa 50073
Custom & Full-Service HD Repair
Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat by appt only 515-367-7336
Motorcycle Medic
3159 Highway 30 Woodbine, Iowa 51579
712-647-2818
Open Tues-Fri 9-6, Sat 8-12
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
not so USELESS RAMBLINGS not so USELESS RAMBLINGS
Convenience Costs No More
If you’ve spent much time traveling the highways and backroads of Iowa, you’ve probably stopped at one of our well-known convenience stores. For years they proudly advertised a simple slogan: Convenience Costs No More.
It’s catchy. Reassuring. It almost sounds too good to question. Of course, we all know better.
The gallon of milk costs a little more than it does at the grocery store. The loaf of bread, the bag of ice, the fountain soda—they all come with a premium. We pay it anyway because we’re not really buying milk. We’re buying time. We’re buying convenience. The price is printed right there on the shelf, and we willingly pay it.
The conveniences that concern me most are the ones where the price isn’t nearly as obvious.
Today, convenience is wrapped in technology. Our phones unlock with our fingerprints. GPS tells us where to go. We pay bills with the tap of a screen, order motorcycle parts from the couch, stream music while riding, and carry more computing power in our pockets than NASA had when it first sent men to the moon.
Truth be told, I’m not standing outside this conversation throwing rocks. I enjoy those conveniences just as much as anyone else. My phone is sitting next to me while I write this. I use GPS. I order things online. I appreciate technology when it saves me time or simply makes life easier. Which is exactly why I think this conversation matters.
The slow surrender of privacy doesn’t usually happen because someone kicks down the front
door and demands it. More often, it happens because people like me—and probably people like you—decide the convenience is worth it without ever stopping to ask what we’re giving away in return.
It rarely happens through one dramatic decision. It happens one click at a time. One software update. One new app. One “Accept” button. No single decision seems particularly important until one day you realize your phone knows where you’ve been, your vehicle knows how you drive, your bank knows what you’ve bought, your navigation app knows everywhere you’ve traveled, and cameras mounted along streets and highways know when your license plate passed by. Increasingly, those systems are also being connected.
Here in Iowa, we’ve begun seeing Flock Safety cameras appear in communities. They’re marketed as a way to recover stolen vehicles, locate missing people, and help solve crimes. Those are worthwhile goals, and I don’t dismiss them. If a dangerous criminal or a kidnapped child can be found because of technology, that’s a good thing.
The question isn’t whether catching criminals is a good thing. Of course it is. The question we’ve asked surprisingly little is this: Where is the line?
Years ago, if someone wanted to know where I was, they usually had to ask me. Today, my truck probably knows. My phone certainly knows. My navigation app knows. Quite often,
someone else’s camera knows. If we’re honest, most of us rarely think about it anymore.
At what point does a tool created for public safety become part of a surveillance network so common that we simply stop noticing it? The same question applies to facial recognition, biometric vehicle systems, smart home devices, voice assistants, and countless other technologies quietly becoming part of everyday life.
None of them arrived wearing the label surveillance. They arrived wearing the label convenience.
None of us woke up one morning and voted to live in a society where our movements could be quietly recorded by dozens of different systems. It happened gradually. Each new technology solved a real problem. Each one made life a little easier. Each one promised greater convenience or greater security. Standing alone, none of those decisions seemed particularly significant. Looking back, however, it’s much easier to recognize the pattern than it was while we were living through it.
That’s often how meaningful change happens. Rarely through one dramatic event, but through countless small decisions that seem harmless on their own. We become accustomed to each new convenience until it simply becomes part of everyday life. Before long, we stop noticing what has changed because we’ve adapted to it.
That’s the part that gives me pause. Not because I’m afraid of technology. Not because I want to go back to paper maps and landlines. I simply wonder whether we’ve become so accustomed to convenience that we’ve stopped asking whether every convenience is worth its cost.
I’ve written before about responsibility, honor, and the slow drift that happens when people stop paying attention to the things that matter. Looking back, some of those articles came from frustration—maybe even anger. I’ve acknowledged before that age has a way of changing your perspective.
I’ve come to realize that most people aren’t trying to surrender their privacy or their liberty. They’re simply busy living their lives. They’re raising kids, working overtime, paying bills, taking care of aging parents, trying to find a few quiet hours on a motorcycle, and hoping tomorrow goes a little smoother than today.
That’s exactly why convenience is so powerful. It doesn’t demand. It doesn’t threaten. It simply asks, “Wouldn’t this make life easier?” And most of the time… it does.
That’s what makes this conversation so difficult. Convenience isn’t the villain. Technology isn’t the villain. In fact, many
of these innovations have genuinely improved our lives. The problem isn’t that we embrace useful tools; it’s that we rarely stop to consider where convenience ends and complacency begins.
Every generation has been asked to protect liberty in different ways. Some carried rifles. Some carried ballots. Some carried folded flags home to grieving families. Perhaps our generation’s responsibility is something less dramatic but no less important Perhaps it’s simply remembering to ask questions before we trade away another small piece of privacy for another small piece of convenience.
Technology will continue to advance whether we welcome it or not. That’s not the issue. The question is whether we’ll remain thoughtful enough to ask where convenience ends, where privacy begins, and whether the trade we’re making is one we’ll still be comfortable with twenty years from now.
Every generation inherits freedoms it didn’t personally earn. We also inherit the responsibility of deciding what those freedoms will look like for the next generation. That doesn’t always require grand gestures or historic sacrifices. Sometimes it simply requires paying attention.
The easiest freedoms to lose are often the ones we never realized we were giving away. Technology itself isn’t the enemy, it’s the complacency that might be.
The conveniences that concern me most are the ones where the price isn’t nearly as obvious.
Convenience always has a price. Sometimes it’s an extra dollar for a gallon of milk. Sometimes it’s information about where we go, what we do, and who we are. The only question is whether we’re paying attention to the receipt.
Because freedom is rarely lost all at once. It drifts away one unnoticed compromise at a time.
- David McCoy - david@thunderroadsiowa.com - FaceBook.com/TRMIDave - FaceBook.com/TRMINSUR
Breitbach’s Country Dining
563 Balltown Rd
Balltown, IA 52073 (563) 552-2220
Thurs: 11 am - 2:30 pm
Fri & Sat: 11 am - 8:30 pm
Sun: 11 am - 7 pm Mon - Wed: Closed
I had been itching to get back over to the big river on Iowa’s eastern border for quite a while. One of my goals was to ride over into Wisconsin and catch the Cassville Car Ferry back across the Mississippi. It had been a few years since I’d been that way, and I was ready for another trip.
When I heard about a great place to eat in Balltown, I figured it was the perfect excuse to make it all happen. So, on a beautiful Saturday morning, Heather and I saddled up, pointed the bike east, and set out for another day of exploring Iowa’s backroads.
Perched high above the Mississippi River valley, Breitbach’s Country Dining has all the charm you’d expect from a small-town Iowa landmark. As soon as we stepped inside, the bartender welcomed us and pointed us toward the dining room. Our host greeted us with a smile, invited us to pick any open table, took our drink order, and gave us a quick rundown of the lunch menu and buffet.
what draws people through the door. Heather and I didn’t need much convincing.
The buffet featured a great selection of homemade favorites, all neatly arranged and constantly being refreshed. There wasn’t anything fancy or overcomplicated about it—just honest, well-prepared comfort food that reminded us why these Mom ‘n’ Pop establishments are worth seeking out.
One side of the buffet offered everything needed to build a fresh salad, along with several pasta salads and sweet fruit salads. The hot side was loaded with mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables, shrimp, and three different styles of chicken. I’m a sucker for good broasted chicken, and Breitbach’s absolutely delivered.
A couple trips through the buffet left us comfortably full, but there was no way I was passing up a slice of their fresh Dutch apple pie. Heather and I split a piece before climbing back on the bike, and it was the perfect ending to an already outstanding meal.
What really stood out, though, wasn’t just the food. It was the atmosphere. Nobody was hurrying us out the door. It felt like the kind of place where families gather after church, neighbors catch up over coffee, and travelers are treated like regulars, even if it’s their first visit. Their lower level also offers a large venue for any sized gathering; they were setting up for a wedding the day we visited.
If your travels take you along the Great River Road or anywhere near Dubuque, make the short ride to Balltown. Come hungry, take your time, and enjoy a meal that feels more like Sunday dinner than another stop along the highway. We certainly did, and it’s a stop we’ll gladly make again the next time our travels take us through northeast Iowa.
While they do offer about a dozen sandwiches, it’s pretty obvious the buffet is
Sometimes the best roads lead to the best meals. Breitbach’s is proof of that. Be sure to tell them Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa sent you!
- David McCoy
If you have a WRTE location for us to visit, please let me know at Melanie@ thunderroadsiowa.com.
Well shit. I think my license might be in jeopardy, and all just because of a stupid state trooper. The conversation went like this, when I got pulled over on my bike: Trooper: “License and registration, please. I think you are drunk!” Me: “I assure you, I did not drink anything.” Trooper: “Ok, let’s do a little test! Imagine driving in the dark on a highway at night, when you see two lights in the distance. What is this?” Me: “A car.” Trooper: “Of course! But which one? A Mercedes, an Audi, or a Ford?” Me: “I have no idea!” Trooper: “So, you’re drunk.” Me: “But I didn’t drink anything.” Trooper: “Okay, one more test -- Imagine, you drive in the dark on a highway at night, and there is one light coming at you. What is it? Me: “A motorcycle.” Trooper: “Of course! But which one? A Honda, a Kawasaki, or a Harley?” Me: “I have no idea!” Trooper: “As I suspected, you’re drunk!” Then I started to get annoyed and asked a counter question. Me: “So... counter question -- You’re driving in the dark on a highway at night and see a woman on the roadside. She wears a mini skirt, fishnet stockings, high heeled shoes, and only a bra as a top. What is this?” Trooper: “A prostitute of course.” Me: “Yes, but which one? Your daughter, your wife or your mother?” Things went downhill from there and now I have a court date to attend...
A little boy came downstairs crying late one night. “What’s wrong?” asked his mother. “Do people really come from dust, like they said in church?” he sobbed. “In a way they do,” said his mother. “And when they die, they turn back to dust?” “Yes, they do.” The little boy began to cry again. “Well, under my bed there’s someone either coming or going.”
speed of light,” he said. Turning to Bubba, the fourth and final man, the interviewer posed the same question. Old Bubba replied, “After hearing the previous three answers, it’s obvious to me that the fastest thing known is Diarrhea.” “What!?” said the interviewer, stunned by the response. “Oh sure,” said Bubba. “You see, the other day I wasn’t feeling so good, and I ran for the bathroom, but before I could think, blink, or turn on the light, I had already soiled my pants.” Bubba is now the new greeter at a Walmart near you!
On his 74th birthday, a man got a gift certificate from his wife. The certificate paid for a visit to an herbalist living nearby, who was rumored to have a wonderful cure for erectile dysfunction. After some discussion with his wife, the man made a visit to the herbalist and handed his voucher over wondering what he was in for. The elderly herbalist handed a potion to the man, and with a grip on his shoulder warned, ‘This is a powerful medicine. You take only a teaspoonful, and then say ‘1-2-3.’ When you do, you will become more manly than you have ever been in your life, and you can perform as long as you want.” Greatly encouraged, the man turned and started to walk away, then stopped and asked, “How do I stop the medicine from working?” The herbalist replied, “Your partner must say ‘1-2-3-4,’ but when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon.” Eager to see if it worked the man went home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of the medicine, and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. When she came in, he took off his clothes and said, “1-2-3!” Immediately, he was the manliest of men. His wife was excited and began throwing off her clothes, and then she asked, “What was the 1-2-3 for?” And that, boys and girls, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition because we could end up with a dangling participle.
y step out t of f th o o past s on n c than an inst s a on a ligh
A manager at Walmart had the task of hiring someone to fill a job opening. After sorting through a stack of resumes, he found four people who were equally qualified. He decided to call the four in and ask them only one question. Their answer would determine which of them would get the job. The day came and as the four sat around the conference room table, the interviewer asked, “What is the fastest thing you know of?” The first man replied, “A thought. It just pops into your head. There’s no warning.” “That’s very good!” replied the interviewer. “And, now you sir?” he asked the second man. “Hmm, let me see, a blink! It comes and goes and you don’t know that it ever happened. A blink is the fastest thing I know of.” “Excellent!” said the interviewer. “The blink of an eye, that’s a very popular cliché for speed.” He then turned to the third man, who was contemplating his reply. “Well, out at my dad’s ranch, you step out of the house, and on the wall there’s a light switch. When you flip that switch, way out across the pasture, the light on the barn comes on in less than an instant. Yep, turning on a light is the fastest thing I can think of.”
The e i very i e th and d t fo ha
e interviewer was very impressed with the third answer and thought he had found his man. “It’s hard to beat the
“I came home early and found my wife lying naked in bed. She claimed she had just gotten out of the shower. Well, her hair was dry and I checked the shower and it was completely dry too. I knew she was into some hanky-panky and I began to look for her lover. I went onto the balcony of our 9th-floor apartment and found the guy clinging to the rail by his fingertips. I was so angry that I began bashing his fingers with a flower pot. He let go and fell, but his fall was broken by some awnings and bushes. On seeing he was still alive I found super human strength to drag our antique cedar chest to the balcony and throw it over. It hit the man and killed him. At this point the stress got to me and I suffered a massive heart attack and died.” Saint Peter thanked him and sent him on to the waiting room. The second applicant said that his last day was his worst...”I was on the roof of an apartment building working on the AC equipment and I stumbled over my tools and toppled off the building. I managed to grab onto the balcony rail of a 9th-floor apartment but some idiot came rushing out on the balcony and bashed my hands with a flower pot. I fell but hit some awnings and bushes and survived, but as I looked up, I saw a huge chest falling toward me. I tried to crawl out of the way but failed and was hit and killed by the chest.” Saint Peter couldn’t help but chuckle as he directs the man to the waiting room. Saint Peter is still giggling when his third customer of the day enters. He apologizes and says “I doubt that your last day was as interesting as the two fellows that arrived here just before you.” I don’t know” replies the man. “Picture this, I’m naked, hiding in this cedar chest....
A frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller. He can see from her nameplate that her name is Patricia Whack. “Miss Whack, I’d like to get a $30,000 loan to take a holiday.” Patty looks at the frog in disbelief and asks his name. The frog says his name is Kermit Jagger, his dad is Mick Jagger, and that it’s okay, he knows the bank manager. Patty explains that he will need to secure the loan with some collateral. The frog says: “Sure. I have this,” and produces a tiny porcelain elephant, about an inch tall, bright pink and perfectly formed. Very confused, Patty explains that she’ll have to consult with the bank manager and disappears into a back office. She finds the manager and says: “There’s a frog called Kermit Jagger out there who claims to know you and wants to borrow $30,000, and he wants to use this as collateral.” She holds up the tiny pink elephant. “I mean, what in the world is this?” The bank manager looks back at her and says: “It’s a knickknack, Patty Whack. Give the frog a loan. His old man’s a Rolling Stone.”
I was buying a large bag of Purina at Wal-Mart and was in line to check out. A woman behind me asked if I had a dog. On impulse, I told her that no, I was starting The Purina Diet again, although I probably shouldn’t because I’d ended up in the hospital last time, but that I’d lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry and that the food is nutritionally complete so I was going to try it again. I have to mention here that practically everyone in the line was by now enthralled with my story, particularly a guy who was behind her. Horrified, she asked if I ‘d ended up in the hospital in that condition because I had been poisoned. I told her no; it was because I’d been sitting in the street licking my balls and a car hit me.
over the tree and it was fine.” “Really?” “Really.” Well, I was doubtful, but he had the experience ... so I lined up, swung the iron, and gave the ball a hefty whack. It went straight up in the air, hit the tree about two-thirds of the way up, and fell back four feet behind me. “Of course,” says the old boy, “thirty years ago that tree was only three feet high ...”
An old man was on the beach and walked up to a beautiful girl in a bikini. “I want to feel your breasts” he exclaimed. “Get away from me, you crazy old man” she replied. “I want to feel your breasts, I will give you twenty dollars,” he says. “Twenty dollars, are you nuts!? Get away from me!” “I want to feel your breasts. I will give you ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS” he stated. “NO! Get away from me!” “TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS” he offered. She paused to think about it, but then comes to her senses and said, “I said NO!” “FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS if you let me feel your breasts,” he claimed. She thought, well he is old, and he seems harmless enough...and $500 IS a lot of money....”Well, OK...but only for a minute.” She loosened her bikini top and while both are standing there on the beach, he slid his hands underneath and began to feel...then he started saying, “OH MY GOD... OH MY GOD...OH MY GOD...” while he was caressing them. Out of curiosity, she asked him, “Why do you keep saying, ‘Oh my god, oh my god’?” While continuing to feel her breasts he answered, “OH MY GOD...OH MY GOD... OH MY GOD...OH MY GOD, where am I ever going to get five hundred dollars?”
A terribly overweight blonde woman goes to her doctor about her weight, so her doctor puts her on a diet. “I want you to eat vegetables and grains for 2 days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for 2 weeks and the next time I see you, you should have lost at least 5 pounds.”
When the blonde returned, the doctor was shocked to find she had lost nearly 20 pounds. “Why, that’s amazing!” the doctor said, “Did you follow my instructions?” The blonde nodded and said, “I have to tell you though, I thought I was going to drop dead after the third day.” “From hunger, you mean?” “No, from skipping.”
I was at a loose end for a couple of hours the other day so I went for a quick nine holes at my local golf course. This old chap came up and asked if he could join me, as we were both singletons and it’s always better to measure yourself against someone else. I wondered if he might end up slowing me down, but I agreed. To my pleasant surprise he turned out to be an asset. He wasn’t quick, but he played steadily and kept pace with me up and down the fairways. But more than that, he offered really useful advice at every hole. He’d been playing the course for years and seemed to know every wrinkle. Eventually we reached the ninth and I hit a snag. My tee shot went wide and fetched up at the edge of the course. There was a huge pine tree directly between me and the green, and it was only a few yards away. I scratched my head for a bit. The old boy came up and said “That happened to me once, about thirty years back. I just hit the ball straight
Yesterday, I had a flat tire when I was on the interstate, so I eased my car over to the hard shoulder, carefully got out of the car and opened the trunk. I took out two cardboard men, unfolded them and stood them at the rear of my car facing on-coming traffic. They looked so life like you wouldn’t believe it! They’re dressed in open trench coats that exposed their nude bodies and private parts to the approaching drivers. But to my surprise, cars started slowing down to look at my lifelike men and traffic began backing up. Everybody tooted their horns and waved like crazy. It wasn’t long before a traffic policeman pulled up behind me. He got out of his car and walked towards me. I could tell he was not a happy camper! “What’s going on here?” “My car has a flat tire,” I said calmly. “Well, what the hell are those obscene cardboard men doing here by the road?” I couldn’t believe that he didn’t know. So, I told him, “Those are my emergency flashers!”
A helicopter was flying around above Seattle when an electrical malfunction disabled all of the aircraft’s electronic navigation and communications equipment. Due to the clouds and haze, the pilot could not determine the helicopter’s position and course to steer to the airport. The pilot saw a tall building, flew toward it, circled, drew a handwritten sign, and held it in the helicopter’s window. The pilot’s sign said ‘WHERE AM I?’ in large letters. People in the tall building quickly responded to the aircraft, drew a large sign, and held it in a building window. Their sign said ‘YOU ARE IN A HELICOPTER.’ The pilot smiled, waved, looked at his map, determined the course to steer to SEATAC airport, and landed safely. After they were on the ground, the copilot asked the pilot how the ‘YOU ARE IN A HELICOPTER’ sign helped determine their position. The pilot responded ‘I knew that had to be the MICROSOFT building because they gave me a technically correct, but completely useless answer.’
Day of Abduction
(Part One of the Story About The day I became Legendary)
Way back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when I was young, lean, and dark of hair, I would sometimes haul a load of antique motersickel parts to the big Swap Meet in Denver, Colorado. The show’s Founding Father was Jack Portice, a Sioux Falls Home Boy. Jack knew the value of busting ass to put on a great show. The only thing that will deliver success better than working hard was the element of working smart. Jack knew these things and he did both. Every year. Year after year.
At that same time, I was promoting and producing regional swap meets and motersickel shows in Sioux Falls. As our Sioux Falls shows slowly grew larger and better, we brought in vendors from Colorado and Western Nebraska. These vendors told me about the Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Swap Meet and Show. I listened and I learned. Before long, I was convinced to take my chances and reserve a Vendor Space and give it a go. I never attended the meet when it was still held in the Adams County Fairgrounds, but was well aware of the show’s size and potential for a good time. The first year that I vended at Denver was either the first year or second year the show was at the Western Livestock Complex. Even before I got to my booth to unload my wares, I saw plenty of familiar faces and began making new acquaintances.
It was at that first Denver Swap Meet that I was introduced to a couple individual Montana Legends. I had seen a random Legends here and there over the years, mostly at the Chief Blackhawk Meet in Davenport, but never was properly introduced until my first Denver Meet. To the best of my recollection, I met Peeper and Tommy Boy, and maybe two or three others. These guys had it going on! Proudly sporting their outrageous (sometimes obnoxious) Hawaiian shirts as that worked the room. And Man-O-Man, did they have some cool bikes and sweet antique motersickel parts! One of my most clear memories of that first Denver Show was a LateFifties Cushman Scooter with a Knucklehead motor stuffed in it!
As the years went on, I got to know some of these Montana Legends better and better. I would see a few of them in Denver in February, then again in Davenport in September. My Sioux Falls home made a perfect way point for these fellas as they made their trek from Northwest Montana to the Quad Cities. They had a similar arrangement with some folks in Western South Dakota, breaking up the trip into three long days. Tommy Boy was known for hauling a load of Montana and Canadian Gold (antique motorcycles and parts) to Davenport every year back in those days.) Each and every time I was with these men, I wanted to learn more about being a Montana Legend and what it would take to become a member. I was just smart enough to not outright ask them how to get the privilege of wearing one of their colorful Hawaiian shirts with the large bison skull silk-screened on the back. By being quietly observant, I figured it out; these Legends only picked their members, no one ever prospected to get into their bunch.
Tommy Boy, in particular, always went out of his way to be sure to let me know when The Legends were having their Annual Going-to-the-Sun Run. He made it sound like the
kind of run I should just jump onto an old Indian motersickel and ride out to Glacier National Park for a quick weekend. In reality, I knew it would take at least two weeks for me to ride Ol’ Blacky that far, then turn around to make the trip home. So, no Going-to-the-Sun Run for me. Not back in those days, anyway. I had responsibilities, too large and too many to skip school and skip being Dad for two weeks. (At that time, I was teaching at the local technical school and singlehandedly raising my teen-aged daughter.)
Fast-forward a bunch of years to Davenport, 2005, where I casually suggested to Mac and to Jimmy that we plan to ride to Glacier National Park right after Davenport, 2006. I was shocked at how quickly these guys took my idea and ran with it! Next thing I know, we’re all gathered behind my little garage in the alley behind my Sioux Falls home, bags packed, bikes loaded, and ready to roll!
I would need to write a book in order to even begin to tell the story of our 2006 Ride to Montana.
We were on the road for a couple of weeks and had the times of our lives!
The only ‘scheduled’ stop on that entire trip was to be in Missoula for Jack’s birthday. Jack is my Godson. He was born on September Eighth, Nineteen Ninety-Eight. (9-8-98) We rolled into Missoula on Nine Eight, Aught-Six, Jack’s Eighth Birthday. Jack’s Dad, CJ, was a good friend of mine and was also the GM of Montana H-D in Missoula. We ate well, celebrated well, slept well, and woke up early next morning to hot coffee, bacon and, as Jimmy called them, chicken eggs. After breakfast, we rode our Indians to the Harley Store in Missoula. Chris had warned his Service Department Staff that three crusty biker-types would be making themselves at home in their shop for the morning. He told them to accommodate our every and any request. Our mission was to take this opportunity to change motor oils, adjust chains, perform a good inspection of each other’s machines to assure they would be good for the remainder of the trip.
Of course, the Service Manager and all of his Techs were quite curious about these men and the machines they were riding. Jimmy was riding his Pride and Joy red 1947 Chief that he had been riding since 1967, when he was all of 15 or 16 years old. Mac was riding his black 1940 Chief. I was riding my white 1940 Chief. All three were bone-stock, save for the Eighty Cubic-Inch motor Jimmy was packing. Mac and I were riding the Standard-Issue Seventy-Four CubicInch motors. Word spread quickly through the Campus of MTHD and sooner or later, ever employee and a few customers made their way back to ‘our’ corner of the Service Department. BJ, the Parts Manager came back there, too, for
a look of his own.
As we were wrapping up our time in the shop, three guys rode up on three old Indians. They were all wearing mismatched Hawaiian shirts over their leather jackets. Mac and Jimmy didn’t know, but I sure as hell did! These guys were MONTANA LEGENDS, and they were riding Antique Motersickels in their Home State, Montana. We were being investigated and scrutinized by these guys. They were checking out these Strangers who were all far from their homes. (At that time, Jimmy was living in Indian-No-Place, Mac was living in Suburban Chicago, and I as always, was living in Eastern South Dakota.) I happened to be wearing a Going-to-the-Sun Run T-shirt that morning when Magoo, Pete, and some other Legend who’s name I cannot recall today turned off their bikes.
We all just stood there, not saying a word, checking out each other and each other’s machines. Pete was wearing the obligatory Kromer cap with the obligatory bison skull and “MONTANA LEGENDS” embroidered on the front. I was sporting one of ‘their’ T-shirts. The air was almost tense. I, being the shy and reserved sort of fellow that I am, broke the silence by asking Pete, “What’s that ‘shit’ on your hat?” As quickly as I asked my question, he asked me a question of his own: “I don’t know, what’s that ‘shit’ on your shirt?” The ice quickly melted, and we all did our introductions. I dropped a few names and all of a sudden, we were accepted. They rode with us back to the house, watched us pack our gear onto the old machines and offered to ride with us partway up the hill to Glacier.
Soon we were on our way. Six cool old machines with six cool old riders and one cool old lady. (The Soon-to-be Missus Jimmy, Beth, shared the Chum-Me seat with Jimmy on his Forty-Seven.) Six cool old bikes cutting through the cool September Rocky Mountain air. We looked like Poetry in Motion, banking into the gentle curves on those sweet Rocky Mountain roads. One after the other, two of those fellas cut out of our little pack and headed home. Pete rode with us to Salmon Lake (Maybe it was Seeley Lake?) where we fueled our bikes and
bade him farewell, never expecting to see any of them again.
The engine on my Old Forty seized up shortly after Pete began his trip down the hill and back to Missoula.
Not good…
Be sure to look for Part Two of “Day of Abduction” in next month’s issue of Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa!
Thanks to Bill Wilson and the H.P. Rest in Peace, Mac and Jimmy. Ride Forever! Love and Respect to Vernon, Melanie, and all of you Faithful TRMI Readers.
Alice (LS) ‘Landshark’
Sure, it might be slowing killing us but at least there’s no bugs!
By Crash Davis
I am not starting off saying the shit we are spraying everywhere is killing more than just weeds, but this summer and the last few summers riding at night in Iowa, I’ve wondered “Where are the corn moths?”
Sure, we seem to still have some but in my unofficial observation, the nighttime rides are near as annoying as my memory serves, maybe it’s the Mandela Effect, most likely it is not because I have very clear memories of bug juice streaming down my face like a Bukkake marathon. It was a lucky guess that I knew how to spell “bukkake” without using spell check, I just sort of sounded it out, I have never really looked up that word. I mean I have heard it used before, not really for sure in the context that it was used or even the reason I am using it now. It is just the Boss of Bosses at TRMI requested that we all start using bigger words to reach a wider, more sophisticated motorcycling reader. I will do my best to coxswain this article in that manner.
I can’t remember how many years ago it was when I wrote about my summer adventure of riding my 1968 Honda Trail 90 from Lester Iowa, East along Highway 9 to Okoboji one Friday afternoon in pursuit of romance. Okay, it was either the summer between my Sophomore and Junior year or Junior into Senior, I keep thinking, prior to being a Junior in High School when I told my stepmom I was doing one thing and did another. That isn’t a shocker for any Gen Xer, that is what we did on the normal. It was the thing; you know what was rare? Actually, going where we told our parents. Yeah, being honest was an event that happened with a great deal less frequency than the lying about where we were going, what we were doing or who we were with.
Quick recap, I rode about fifty-five miles on a Friday afternoon, at 16 years old, because the “wind was stiff” and didn’t tell anyone I was gone. Speed Limit was fifty-five then, I had zero problems with traffic pace, but the way home, my face was a
gooey mess of corn moth innards. Of course I didn’t have any clear glasses to wear, not that it would have helped.
I really think if I would have told my dad’s wife where I was going, she would have shrugged and said something snarky about the girl. Or the potential girl. The girl didn’t work out at all but it’s a ride I will always remember.
Mostly because of the damn bugs.
A few decades ago, on my first trip to Eastern Iowa on a bike one of the coolest things at a hotel happened.
First, the manager dude at the front desk gave us a special place to park the bikes, but what really stood out is the towels. He told us there are a few boxes of towels by the doors heading to the bike parking, there will also be a bucket of water, clean off all the bugs, if you run out of towels, come to the front desk. (They were strict on us not using room towels for the job, as they should be.)
End of the evening, we get back to the hotel after a great dinner and as we park, I laugh at the massive amount of dead bugs, only this time I have clears and a windscreen. Now that windshield resembles a Kardashian tramp stamp after a Vegas weekend.
Next morning with coffee in hand, a few wet towels over the offending dead bug area and after sitting for just a few moments, bugs gone, windshield and fairing clean, well, clean enough, and it was time to do it all over again.
I do love riding in Eastern Iowa, and I really like doing in
August. While everyone is heading West and jamming up the good roads, we are often left alone to ride where want, how we want and not be stuck in start and stop hell. I love being out West at the Event, the people, bikes, bars, bikini bottoms in chaps, vistas, views and bring up your Visa card. I just don’t feel the pull to do it every year.
I think it’s because I always crave new stimulations and memories, sure a cool road is a cool road and even some local roads I ride several times a year and love it. Also, I will say this, none of those damn corn moths out west.
Which brings us back to what I was first discussing, is it just where I have been riding or is there a legit lower number of them now?
By now we can pretty much all agree that the shit we are spraying on our food all across the Midwest is not healthy for humans or animals. Hell, it’s not even good for the fish as we have the most polluted water ways in the world. But yet we keep spraying that shit in the name of “Big Ag” and protections from questions but you don’t have to look very far.
The deer aren’t there. The quail, pheasants, songbirds all of it, lower numbers and you can’t with a straight face tell me “Nah, that spray is important” “it cannot harm us, the companies and the government have told us it’s all good”
Sure, Deer are the enemy of bikers, and for good reason. After hitting a pheasant with my leg, let me tell you the Cock Bird is no treat either.
As summer riding morphs into Autumn riding, we always have to concern ourselves with critters, always needing to keep our head on a swivel. The worse animals we have to concern ourselves with our the ones in big ass metal boxes that are thinking that snatchchat is super important or whatever app they must be on while driving down the road .
I have a few longer rides on the docket yet this year, the paths are not written in ink, hell the destinations are only a mere
suggestion and as Seger said quite elegantly stated, “I could go East, I could go West, it was all up to me to decide.” I might go somewhere West but most likely East.
Or even South, a couple of last-minute summer or early Autumn options have been floated my way about hitting a couple of states South of Iowa.
I don’t think that wthey have near as much corn, so perhaps corn moths won’t be the greatest concern while burning down the highway. But I imagine they have their own set of “issues” that will make it a memorable right.
And with the way technology is, my kids will know exactly where I am. They won’t care, but they will know.
The Road to Milwaukee Runs Through Freedom
Fredric Harrell
Milwaukee is famous for a lot of things, and they were wellknown long before the “Killer.” Jerry Lee Lewis sang about it six decades ago. Enhancing the list of things to do in Milwaukee, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation along with ABATE of Wisconsin will be adding a memorable weekend to Milwaukee’s list in September.
I’ve visited Milwaukee twice; both times it was so cold that I was good just hanging out in a warm bar and enjoying myself with friends. From what I’ve been told, fall in Milwaukee is the time to visit. We want you at the Meeting of the Minds, but here are some suggestions to fill the gap when you’re not filling your mind with the information to protect motorcycling.
If you like to eat, drink, and have a good time, put Milwaukee on your places to visit list. Half of the items on Milwaukee’s top ten list involve food, drink, and partying and that doesn’t even count the obligatory photo-op with the icon of cool (the likeness of Mr. Cool himself) “The Bronze Fonz” from the TV series Happy Days. It’s free, available 24/7, and it’s in the center of town located on the Milwaukee River Walk.
Downtown too crowded for you? Blast out to the Freshwater Food & Wine Festival, enjoy the view of Lake Michigan and epicurean delights with a host of celebrity chefs, plus live entertainment. Then walk it off along the shoreline with visits to the Milwaukee Art Museum and Veterans Park.
The race for the pennant will be in full swing in September and the Milwaukee Brewers game is a perfect place to chill and enjoy a couple of brews, Klement’s Sausages…with Secret Stadium Sauce, and some fried cheese curds. Don’t have time to catch a game?
How about a tour of HarleyDavidson history? Regardless of what you ride, if you haven’t been to the Harley Museum, you owe it to yourself to take the tour. Plus, they’ve got an America 250th exhibition in the works to add to the experience.
And if you’re hungry… again, after all the tours and sightseeing, you’re welcome, as the guidebooks say “to eat and drink your way through Milwaukee” with visits to Historic Third Ward, Brady Street, and Walker’s Point; all famous for placating the palate.
Once your palate is satiated, you’ve visited all the high spots and had your photo taken with the Bronze Fonz, before you head home, this is a perfect time to spend enhancing your skill set to help keep the threats to motorcycling at bay.
This is a benchmark year for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, Independent Motorcycle Aftermarket, and the nation’s motorcyclists. With four of the MRF’s legislative priorities part of the upcoming transportation infrastructure legislation, we have reason to celebrate, but it is not time to rest on our laurels.
Covering everything from anti-profiling language to the Right to Repair and Modify, more than 250 motorcyclists recently walked the halls of Congress to remind lawmakers that the future of motorcycling depends on informed, engaged riders. That kind of grassroots advocacy doesn’t happen by accident…it happens because riders show up.
If your riding plans include Milwaukee this September, consider adding a stop that offers something for every rider. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation’s Meeting of the Minds is happening September 24th through 27th, and it brings together experienced advocates, state motorcyclists’ rights organizations, and riders who simply want to better understand the issues shaping motorcycling today.
If you’re into historic architecture, Doors Open Milwaukee provides visitors with free access to Milwaukee’s historic buildings, theaters, churches, and architectural landmarks that are usually closed to the public.
Sixteen workshops, nationally recognized speakers, and roundtable discussions provide practical information on legislative issues, effective advocacy, and the challenges facing motorcycling at every level of government. Whether you’re new to grassroots activism or have spent years defending riders’ rights, you’ll leave better informed and better prepared.
Plan to ride in a day early or stay a little longer. The Sheraton Milwaukee, conveniently located just off I-94, makes an excellent base for exploring everything Milwaukee has to offer while attending one of the motorcycle community’s premier educational events.
Enjoy the ride. Enjoy Milwaukee. And while you’re there, invest a little time helping ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the same freedoms that riders do today.
Jul 24-26 Iowa CMA Heartland Rally Hampton
Jul 25 Car & Bike Show Big Barn HD Des Moines
Jul 25 AMVETS Riders Veterans Ride Post 82 Hudson
Jul 25 Solidarity Ride Metro HD Cedar Rapids
Jul 25 Minburn Legion Riders 17th Annual Toy Run Minburn
Jul 25 98 Mile Smooth Ride Des Moines
Jul 25 B.A.C.A. Eastern NE Chapter Poker Run Omaha
Jul 25 Sunshine’s Ride Centerville
Jul 25 Goozman’s Westside Poker Run Harlan
Aug 29 A Ride for Their Rides Nate Allen Benefit Smithland
Sep 3-5 55th Annual Chief Blackhawk Antique Motorcycle Swap Meet Davenport
Sep 3-6 Redneck Revival Conesville
Sep 4 Vintage Flat Track Racing Davenport
Sep 5 5th Annual Poker Run for Autism Des Moines
Sep 12 Mean Machine “Smalltown Throwdown” Burnout Contest & Stereo Battle Elkhart
Sep 12 Tenth Souls M.C. Clean and Sober Poker Run Nashua
Jul 25 6th Annual Caleb Solberg Memorial Poker Run Soldier
Jul 25-26 Road Rage Throttle & Thunder 10 Year Anniversary Avoca
Aug 1 1st Annual Southwest Iowa Bike Show Mt Ayr
Aug 1 Leon Car, Bike, Truck Show Leon
Aug 1 Zach’s Memorial Ride Knoxville
Aug 1 John “Sully” Coons Memorial Event Milan, IL
Aug 7-16 Black Hills Motorcycle Rally South Dakota
Aug 8 AtlanticFest Car and Bike Show Atlantic
Aug 13-23 Big Barn HD at the Iowa State Fair
Aug 14-15 Baxter Cycle Open House/Demo Day/Motorcycle Auction Marne
Aug 15 AMVETS Riders Fun Run Post 82 Hudson
Aug 15 The Rust Run Antique Motorcycle Poker Run Atlanta, NE
Aug 16 Support Our Veterans Ride LuVerne
Aug 16 9th Annual Monona County Veterans Memorial Car & Bike Show Onawa
Aug 22 Abate D 18 Pay Back Ride VFW Burlington
Aug 22 Hell on Wheels Chopper Show #8 Franklin
Aug 22 Kyles Mile 12 Metro HD Cedar Rapids
Aug 22 22 Reasons to Stay Awareness Motorcycle Ride RT 65 HD Indianola
Aug 22 QCA Veterans Outreach Center Run Bettendorf
Aug 23 2nd Annual Bike/Car Show Clarksville
Aug 28-29 Old School Biker Party Algona
Aug 28-29 Bootleggers & Bandits Car, Bike, & Big Rig Show Colfax
Aug 29 End of Summer Bash Route 65 Indianola
Aug 29 11th Annual Sidetracked Memorial Ride Creston
Sep 13 620 Golf Tournament Metro HD Cedar Rapids
Sep 13 Hill Climb Anamosa
Sep 19 2nd Annual Suicide Awareness Run Colo
Sep 19 Abate D 18 Toys For Tots Mediapolis
Sep 19 2nd Annual David Mann Chopper Fest Kansas City, MO
Sep 19 Annual Tony Webb Memorial Ride Cumming
Sep 19-20 Rumble In the Sand Conesville
Sep 20 41st Annual World-Famous Butterfield’s M-C Parts Hot Dog Daze Omaha, NE
Sep 20 Two Rivers Vintage Motorcycle Club Concours de’ Cornfield Earlham
Sep 24-27 42nd Annual MRF Meeting of the Minds Milwaukee, WI
Sep 26 CFMC End of Year Party & Ride Cedar Rapids
Sep 26 Applefest Car & Bike Show Woodbine
Oct 3 2nd Annual Aidan’s Ride Iowa North Point Cedar Rapids
Oct 3 Handle Bar Jockeys End of Summer Party Jefferson
Oct 11 42nd Annual Fall All Vehicle Swap Meet Monticello
Oct 17-18 Rust Resurrection & Burn Conesville
Oct 31 Tenth Souls M.C. Clean and Sober Halloween Dance Waterloo
Nov 6-7 Veteran’s Day Event Big Barn HD Des Moines
Nov 6-8 ABATE of Iowa STEAM Des Moines
Nov 11 Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast Metro HD Cedar Rapids
Nov 27-28 Black Friday & Orange Saturday Big Barn HD Des Moines
Dec 12 Holiday Open House Big Barn HD Des Moines
Dec 12 Santa at Metro HD Cedar Rapids
