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Dragon Tales May is a month that most of us wait for with growing anticipation. It is one of the first months, usually, that produces some of the best early season rides. Not too hot, and hopefully, not too cold and definitely NO MORE SNOW! That’s if we are lucky. It seems too long ago since the warm winds were at our backs. And with that in mind, we must that we have also been out of the saddle for far too long. In this month’s issue we talk about tuning up our skills after a long stretch of sitting and waiting for riding season to start back up. Even if you are a bit heartier and have ridden at some point during this past winter, everyone can benefit from some parking lot time. It was actually fun to go out and play on my ride in a controlled situation, instead of having to perform these maneuvers at highway speeds for a change.

about 4.3 million. And we have come a long way, baby. Working at a motorcycle dealership back in 2009, I can say from personal experience that a good percentage of bikes were being sold to women, most of whom had completed some type of motorcycle safety training course. Whether you ride a cruiser, a sport bike or a trike, love your fists in the wind, or enjoy riding in back, more and more women are hitting the pavement. And this fact is apparent all over the world. No longer can you look at a motorcycle on the road and think you are seeing a hard-core male biker. She may surprise you. Women have changed the public view of our gender in a million ways since the 1800s, politically, professionally and personally. This evolution of the empowerment of women has opened the roads to whole new freedom.

The month of May is also host to a variety of holidays, such as Mother’s Day, Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day to name a few. But May also celebrates a major advancement in the women’s movement on two wheels, and that is the International Female Ride Day. The first Friday in May is a day dedicated solely to celebrating the women riders. And this May 6th marks the fifth year of women riders getting on their motorcycles to JUST RIDE. This synchronized action is the only global campaign for women riders. And our numbers are growing.

May gives us all so many reasons to be thankful and thoughtful. Thankful to our mothers for the lives we have the chance to live. Thankful for the soldiers of our armed forces who give us the freedom to live those lives as we do. And remaining thoughtful of the memories of those who fought for the freedoms that many take for granted. Yes, May is a good month indeed.

In 2005 approximately 10% of all new bike sales were attributed to women. Back then, estimates of female riders in America were

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Ride safe and keep the shiny side up!

Thunder Roads® West Virginia P.O. Box 606 / Charles Town, WV 25414 www.thunderroadswv.com Owner / Editors Gary Westphalen, Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Copyright 2011. Published by Thunder Roads West Virginia, LLC under license from Thunder Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this magazines content may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility and is not to be held liable for errors beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error, slander of any group or individual, failure to produce any issue as scheduled due to reasons beyond our control, any and all suits for libel, plagiarism, copyright infringement, and unauthorized use of a person’s name or photograph. Opinions and claims made by rs and authors are their own, and do not necessarily represent the policy of Thunder Roads West Virginia, Thunder Roads Magazine, or Thunder Publishing. The Publisher does not promote the abuse of alcohol or other drugs.

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Dragon Tales.............................................................. 2 From The Editor.......................................................... 4 Letters........................................................................ 5 Hidden Highways – U.S. Highway 33......................... 8 Road Ready Gear – Alpinestars............................... 12 TRWV Launches TV Show....................................... 14 ing Slime................................................. 14 Big Dog Dead........................................................... 14 TRWV Designer Brings Home the Hardware........... 14 Riding in the Middle East.......................................... 16 Birds (and HOGs) of a Feather................................ 18 Horses With Hearts.................................................. 19 Bike of the Month: Dive! Dive Dive!.......................... 20 Rider’s Rest.............................................................. 22 Keeping the Scenery Clean...................................... 24 Center Calendar....................................................... 26 Fly Rod Chronicles................................................... 28 Spring Skill Check.................................................... 32 The Jokers Wild........................................................ 37 Thunder Pub & Grub................................................ 38 TNT........................................................................... 39 Seats & Saddles....................................................... 41 Events..................................................... 45 Mountain State Ink................................................... 46 Biker Friendly Directory............................................ 48 The High Road......................................................... 51 ON THE COVER Joey Drifter Shumate, the guy on the far left, comes by his road name quite honestly. As a consultant to the U.S. military, Drifter spends most of his time in places you don’t even want to hear about. But he’s back home near Beckley right now, enjoying a little R&R. He took the time to write a couple of great stories for this month’s issue. First, on page 16, we ride with him as he explores the Mid-East on a motorcycle. Then, he tells the story of how this flag, given to him by the Hico, WV HOG Chapter, has gone flying on missions over Afghanistan aboard that deadly Wart Hawg that’s lookin’ right at you. MAY 2011

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It has been a fascinating month for Thunder Roads West Virginia. We have been traveling the state as we not only prepare the stories for this issue, but also promote the very existence of the magazine to people who may not have met up with us yet. Along the way, we spent time with old friends, and many new ones who are destined to be old friends, too. It wasn’t long after our April issue hit the stands statewide, that I heard from Joey Drifter Shumate, from near Beckley, about his motorcycle riding while working with our military forces in the Middle East. I knew we had a fitting story to pay tribute to the men and women in uniform who are serving our nation in far too many trouble spots. About the same time, I got an email from Al Shawver, of Falling Waters, saying the bike that he had been working on for more than a year was finally finished. His extraordinary machine pays tribute to Al’s service in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet, the strength of which was instrumental in ending the Cold War. With May hosting both Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day, I couldn’t think of a better pair of stories. Thunder Roads West Virginia presents them as our way to say “Thank You” to every American who has served in our Armed Forces. Riding West Virginia by motorcycle is exactly what freedom is about, but we are only able to do it because of their sacrifices. We also had a fantastic time hanging out with Curtis Fleming, whose job has a coolness factor very close to our own. This Bridgeport native goes fishing all over the world, and puts his exploits on television. When he’s not fishing, he’s tooling around on his custom painted Harley-Davidson Street Glide. He brought taping of an episode of his show to West Virginia, and invited Thunder Roads West Virginia and our December, 2010 Calendar Model, Amanda Jackson, to him. She caught the fish, he got a great show, and we get to share the story with you. You may have noticed in last month’s issue that our recipe page has been renamed. We have been running a recipe page that is shared by many of our sister editions in other states. But, just like the roads, we happen to think the food is better here in West Virginia. So, the kitchen has been reopened as the Thunder Pub & Grub, and Susan Vetter of Moorefield is our new Proprietor. Susan has long been involved in the publication of cookbooks with recipes and ingredients unique to West Virginia. Also a skilled mixologist, she will be including a spirited libation with each month’s recipes. Susan is always looking for submissions, so send your favorite dishes to her at [email protected], and she’ll credit you when they get used. There’s a lot more in these pages, but I’m out of space. Enjoy the magazine, and thank our rs for ing Thunder Roads West Virginia. It’s not the Destination…It’s the Journey. Gary 4 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

Truck Safety Gary, I just wanted to comment about the article in the April Issue of Thunder Roads West Virginia about the Share the Road demonstration at the Gold Wing Road Riders Association District Rally in Summersville, last June. I have been a personal friend of Mr. Clarence Jenkins, one of the ATA America’s Road Team Captains who, along with Jim Gallagher, put on this demonstration. It is a real learning tool and I’m sure that over the many such demonstrations that the Road Team does around the country they’ve saved some lives from the information given. You did an excellent job of bringing this story to your readers! Our District Rally will be held this year June 16-18 again in Summersville. We’ll have the Share the Road team here again this year and would like to invite all your readers to come by and experience this first hand. Again, thanks very much for the article. Super Job!!!! Ed Rollins GWRRA Chapter B Ed, Thank you for the comments about the story Size Determines Rightof-Way in our April issue. As you know, this was just one of many safety-related demonstrations and classes offered at the GWRRA Rally. The exhibitions at this rally gave me a terrific opportunity to illustrate the dangers that we bikers face every day, and how to handle them. The GWRRA Rally is unlike any other motorcycle event in the state, and I thoroughly enjoyed the friendship and hospitality I encountered last summer. I’ll see you in June! Gary

Stretching the Truth Gary, I work at Alfred Construction on U.S. Route 50, which owns the giraffe that was pictured in the current issue of your magazine. Could you tell me where I could pick up a copy of the magazine? By the way, “Stretch” is made of fiberglass, not concrete. Judy Limpert Judy, There are a good number of distribution points close to you. Look in the Biker Friendly listings near the back of the magazine, or on our website. Each one of those rs has free copies of Thunder Roads West Virginia for you. You can also subscribe for home delivery. The subscription form is printed in each issue, and is on page 47 this month. You can also view the entire magazine on our website. Log on to www.thunderroadswv.com, and click the link in the Home Page story about our current issue. As for misidentifying Stretch’s composition in our Hidden Highway story about Route 50, please offer my apologies to the big guy. I wouldn’t want a cool landmark like him upset with me. Gary

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Hidden Highways

U.S. Highway

33

by Gary Westphalen In an interesting quest, the American Motorcyclist Association recently sought to have motorcyclists rate the 15 best roads in the entire United States. The AMA asked its 230-thousand to vote for their favorite roads. Well, the vote is in, and these concrete warriors have ranked the Beartooth Highway at the Montana-Wyoming border as the number one best bike road. I’ve taken the Beartooth, and I certainly can’t argue that this twisted ribbon crosses one of the most amazing

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mountain es you’ll ever traverse. It clearly belongs on every biker’s gotta-do list. The second and third place roads are also mandatory badges for any biker. I strongly recommend that you ride them some day. The Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, with its soaring vistas and fascinating pitch-black tunnels carved through the mountaintops, is simply breath-taking. The Tail of the Dragon wags its way into the third spot on the AMA list. U.S. Route 129, as it is officially known, zig-zags its way from North Carolina to

Seneca Rock is probably West Virginia’s most iconic landmark, and makes a great starting point for a romp on Route 33 East. Tennessee, famously touting that it throws a biker through “318 curves in 11 miles.” But all is not necessarily biker-friendly, as we like to say, on these roads. The Beartooth is also a target for scads of cages and RV’s as they make their way to and from Yellowstone National Park. If

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you’re looking to escape from traffic, you won’t find solace here. The same goes for the Blue Ridge Parkway, with the added factor of a relatively low speed limit that is enforced with authority. The Tail of the Dragon is also a twisted, narrow mountain road that carries more traffic than it was designed to handle. Because it is so popular with bikers, and because many of them aren’t up to the challenge such a set of curves presents, motorcycle fatalities on the Tail have resulted in a speed limit of just 30 miles per hour. Yawn. Rumbling on down the AMA list, I came across the first entry that actually fits all of my criteria for making a list of Best Bike Roads. In twelfth place, voters named U.S. Route 33 from Harrisonburg, Virginia, to Seneca Rocks, West Virginia. Now, we’re talking bike road! continued on next page...

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The sweeping curves of the river valley soon give way to the twisted climb up and over North Fork Mountain). We’re going to ride it in the opposite direction, starting at Seneca Rocks and heading southeast to the state line. Standing in the parking lot at Harpers Old Country Store, at the intersection of Highways 33, 28, and 55, Seneca Rock dominates the skyline. This massive blade of sandstone stabs sharply more than 900 feet into the sky. Geologists say it has stood guard over the North Fork of the South Branch river valley, from which it protrudes, for well over 400-million years.

mountain es. It dives into valleys to provide a glimpse of the rivers that are always carving ever-deeper gashes in the mountainsides. The road curves to the right at Oak Flat, and makes another hard left in Brandywine. This is smile time. If you ride a bike, you’re enjoying this road.

Leaving Brandywine, you’ll notice the front end of your bike is a little higher than the back. You’re The view from the top of North Fork Mountain climbing, but it’s is well worth dismounting for. modest, and nearly a straight shot. For a little while. Just after you a sign for a National Forest Service shooting range, U.S. Highway 33 gets flat-out wild. A Pulling onto Highway 33 East, the first eleven miles of this run series of hairpins, large and small, rush you abruptly up the west to the border consist of big, swooping valley curves. For the most side of Shenandoah Mountain. What I mean is, some of these part, the road clings to the western edge of the valley, often rising turns will have you seeking gears with little numbers, and others just high enough to provide a gorgeous view of numerous family are huge arcs of wide-open mountain views, providing nearly farms as it swoops around big curves. These are smile-inducing twisties, combining interesting changes of elevation as they bank sharply around the rocky mountain bases. At Judy Gap, Highway 33 forsakes its playful valley meanderings and gets serious. Rising, and then falling, several thousand feet for the next few miles, this over North Fork Mountain provides plenty of outlet for that adrenaline surge that accompanies the mounting elevations. At about 3,200 feet, just before reaching the top of the mountain, there is a small pull-off that provides a panoramic overview of Valley. It is well worth the stop. Plus, it’s a great place to hang out and watch other bikes take a couple of the best curves on the mountain. About 25 miles after leaving Seneca Rocks, Highway 33 deposits you and your bike on the east side of North Fork Mountain, in Franklin. But the ride is by no means over. Highway 33 hangs a hard left at the light in Franklin, and quickly shoots out of town. It crosses a number of lesser, but still impressive, 10 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

road itself is in good to excellent condition. There is some traffic on this highway, but it’s usually quite light. What traffic there is, is more than manageable because the highway sports numerous ing zones where appropriate, and slow traffic lanes everywhere the surging elevation demands them. It is a well-built highway on some very challenging terrain. Oh, one more thing. It does all of this at real highway speeds.

360° panoramas. All the while, you are going up. Seriously up. U.S. Highway 33 climbs the summit of Shenandoah Mountain at 3,451 feet, a rise of about 1,900 feet since leaving Brandywine. The top of the mountain is also the state line with Virginia. Since the AMA vote included the stretch of road from here to Harrisonburg, Virginia, I will, too. The first few miles heading down the mountain are a lot of fun. The curves aren’t as technically demanding as on the western slope, but they’ll still keep you paying attention. But then the road gets straight as an arrow for a good many miles. It’s still heading downhill through beautiful forestland, but the road itself couldn’t be more boring. Frankly, I would rather turn around at the top, and go back down into West Virginia. It feels happier on this side of the line. But maybe that’s just me. U.S. Highway 33 from Seneca Rocks to the state line with Virginia is a biker’s dream road. It has challenging twisties, gently arcing curves, fun straight-aways, phenomenal scenery, and just enough civilization to keep you well supplied with food, fuel, and shelter. The

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The tight hairpins on the climb up Shenandoah Mountain are complimented by enormous, curving panoramas.

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So, should U.S. Highway 33 be rated higher than twelfth on that AMA list? Let’s review: RV’s on the Beartooth, sometimes so thick it looks like a migration of land whales. Likewise, the Blue Ridge Parkway, with the addition of a cruelly modest speed limit. The Tail of the Dragon has also been slowed down to city street pace. 318 curves in 11 miles? Uh-huh. Highway 33 has a lot more curves than that, and it gives us nearly 50 miles to ride from Seneca Rocks to the state line. So, you tell me. Do you want to ride twisties for eleven miles, or fifty? Yeah, me too.

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By Michael Conrad Korzeniowski

BOOTS The Alpinestars S-MX 5 Boot is an entry-level choice for the street or track sport bike rider. Priced affordably at $219.95 for the vented model, the S-MX 5 is constructed using injected plastic internal reinforcement and external PU shields for the heel, toe, ankle, calf and shin. The reinforced shank and composite sole give good , feel and grip. The uppers are micro-fiber and flexible, with a quick drying liner and foam padding sandwiched inbetween. The toe-sliders are plastic and easily replaced. The boot is CE certified and is also available in waterproof for $249.95. Both come in red, blue, black or white. Alpinestars recommends using their lighter-weight, sports performance socks to get the right fit. My shoe size is US 10.5, but my S-MX 5s are US 9.5, so I recommend actually trying the boots on for proper sizing. Putting them on, I immediately appreciate the elastic zipper as it clears the ankle zipping up. Large hook-and-loop equipped flaps close the boot with adjustability for calf size, ensuring a snug fit. This adjustability allows wearing the boots with your pants tucked in or over the boot, but they fit best with the leathers they are designed to accompany. My vented S-MX 5s look great and offer the protection I need. They’re lightweight and comfortable, so much so that several times I have actually forgotten that I had them on. One minor caveat is that the venting is most effective at high speeds, but they are way more comfortable than non-vented boots on hot days. They also clean easily with a moist cloth, and haven’t shown any appreciable wear in approximately 4-thousand miles of use. While I have a choice of regular boots to wear, I prefer the S-MX 5 when riding my GSX-R 1000. I feel I can concentrate more upon my technique rather than worry about grinding my foot into the pavement. Also, having a past injury to my left ankle, the sturdy construction offers tremendous and protection, with no loss of range of motion in that t. Since I definitely suggest all riders wear the best gear they can afford, I find the Alpinestars S-MX 5 is a great entry-level boot at a great price. I also think of them as being a great starting foundation build upon. 12 Thunder Roads®point Westand Virginia MAYto2011

GLOVES The Alpinestars GP Plus Glove is full of innovative design features, some of which I haven’t seen on road racing gloves of higher price from other manufacturers, and which provide extraordinary protection and comfort at a mid-range price. Starting with the construction, it includes a Kangaroo leather chassis and palm. Kangaroo is lighter, more supple, and stronger when compared to other leathers. Kevlar mesh reinforcement is used to strengthen the top, palm, and wrist. A synthetic material called Pittards Armor-Tan is used in areas of potential high abrasion or wear. Armored with PU sliders on the backs of the fingers, knuckles, palm, and wrist cuff, striking forces are dissipated over a greater area to minimize impact trauma and abrasion. A finger bridge ties the ring finger and pinkie together to prevent the little finger from getting twisted in unnatural positions in the event of a get-off. The full length design has many comfort features including nonbinding external seams, accordion pleated or anatomical (pre-bent) fingers for flexibility, knuckle sliders with built-in intake and exhaust air vents, and well perforated leather. All of these make the GP Plus a great warm weather glove. The Velcro closure system is easy to use and secure, with a strap at the wrist that prevents the glove from pulling off. Another strap at the wrist cuff, along with accordion pleated leather s, provides a secure fit. Usually the last item put on before heading off, strapping on the gloves gives a sense of completion and protection - like a knight fully armored and ready for battle. The sense of security inspires confidence and allows one to focus on riding technique. In a recent low-side, I found the GP Plus Glove protected my right hand from abrasion, but my thumb was trapped between the handlebar and the ground and suffered minimal impact trauma resulting in a sore thumb. The gloves still look great, and remain fully functional, suffering only small scratches to the palm. Competitively priced at $189.95, these are serious sport bike riding gloves, suitable for the track or street and available in red, blue, black, silver and white.

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Thunder Roads West Virginia launches TV Show

As of May 1st, Thunder Roads West Virginia will be bringing the pages of our magazine TRWV’s Gary and Donna Westphalen alive on television. are guests on MaceTV’s Talk of the The next generation Town, which is also online right now. of television, that is. Instead of turning on your TV to find us, you’ll fire up the web browser. Thunder Roads West Virginia will air on-demand, on your computer, whenever you want it. Dan Mace, owner of MaceTV.net has assigned the appropriately numbered Channel 13 on his internet-based television station to be the video home of Thunder Roads West Virginia. Each month, we’ll present a new program, based on that month’s magazine. Tune in right now, and you’ll see Gary and Donna taking their bikes through the Spring Skill Checks that we outline in our story, starting on page 32. You’ll also jump aboard the TRWV Yamaha FJR1300, and ride some of the twisty mountain es that make up this month’s Hidden Highway. This is just the beginning for Thunder Roads West Virginia on internet television. In months to come, we’ll be expanding the show to include many new features. Check us out on Channel 13 at MaceTV.net.

ing Slime A 73-year-old Moorefield biker has fallen. Sloan Slime Cleaver died in a motorcycle crash on Highway 55 in Virginia, a few miles east of the West Virginia state line. Slime was heading back towards West Virginia on April 15th when, for reasons unknown, his bike crossed the centerline, striking two oncoming vehicles. Thunder Roads West Virginia’s Moe Vetter is among a large group of Slime’s riding friends. Moe says, “He was a serious Harley guy since the 50’s. He absolutely loved riding his Harley and he died doing what he loved. He was a great guy and everyone who met him thought he was the best.” Sloan Cleaver was a U.S Army Veteran, and is survived by two daughters, two grandsons, three brothers, and a sister.

TRWV Designer Brings Home the Hardware

Big Dog Dead

With mounting debt and a severe drop-off in demand for its product, Big Dog Motorcycles has been put to sleep by foreclosure. The Wichita Eagle newspaper reports that Intrust Bank shuttered the Kansas bike building operation in early April. Sheldon Coleman started Big Dog in his garage in 1994, after spending some time customizing Harley-Davidsons. At its peak in 2005, Big Dog produced 5,000 bikes, and employed 300 workers. But as the economy faltered, demand for Big Dog’s very expensive bikes dried up. Owners of Big Dog Motorcycles are now without warranty coverage, because the company has been dissolved. However, Coleman has reportedly formed a new company by the name of BDM Performance Products to continue supplying parts and accessories for the roughly 25,000 Big Dog bikes on the road. Exactly when the new company will be in operation isn’t clear. 14 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

As if we needed any one else to tell us this. Meredith Hancock, who designs the look and layout of Thunder Roads West Virginia, as well as creates many of the ments, is a highly talented artist. That’s not just our opinion. The Virginia Press Association recently awarded Merry seventeen awards during their annual Advertising Competition. Seventeen! In a wide variety of advertising categories, Merry received Eight First Place, 4 Second Place, and 5 third place wins. The competition is no push-over. It involves 122 daily and weekly newspapers from all across Virginia. The reason Merry kicked butt and took names in a neighboring state is because she used to work for a newspaper in Loudoun County, Virginia. Thunder Roads West Virginia lured her away from them, and we have no doubt that her work on the magazine will continue to win awards for this gifted visionary. And, yes, Merry is a rider. She, and her husband Jasen, live to ride. Merry, the entire Thunder Roads West Virginia family salutes you!

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Joey Drifter Shumate beginning his ride outside the Grand Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Most of the roads in the UAE are flat and straight, punctuated only by roaming camels, and small villages. until the lone mountain known as Jebel Hafeet rises above the desert sands.

Riding in the Middle East By Joey Drifter Shumate To begin with I need to bore you with who I am and what I do. I am a West-By-God-Virginian, prior military, former sniper in the 82nd Air Borne, to be exact. For the past 25 years I have served as a civilian consultant for the United States military. As my road name Drifter implies, I travel most of the time and live in places most Americans only hear about in the news. Most of that news is not good news, either. During the past six years, I was fortunate to have lived and worked in the capitol city of Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is the gem of the Middle East, or compared to the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, a diamond! In all actuality the UAE is, if you have to be in the Middle East, the only place to be, for many reasons. The UAE is extremely westernized, and you can enjoy the same things there that are considered normal in all other non-Islamic countries, including alcoholic beverages. But the main reason to like the UAE is the ability to ride. You can, as I have, cover the entire country - all seven Emirates - in one single 14 hour day of hard riding. And I mean hard riding. To put it in perspective, to ride a motorcycle in the Middle East you either have to have a death wish or be absolutely crazy. Either one of those conditions helps. You will find yourself riding among the world’s worst drivers, who propel themselves in 2.5 ton cages (SUVs) with 90% tinted windows, at speeds exceeding 220 km/h, or 137 miles per hour. And they do this while talking on a cell phone or even watching a DVD. A four lane road typically has five or six lanes of traffic on it, and stop signs are merely a recommendation. Searing heat, that goes beyond the “Hell” setting on any heater during summer days, forces riders to concentrate on late evenings, 16 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

nights and early morning riding. Winter, on the other hand, is fantastic. After riding alone, I became the Abu Dhabi chapter president of the Expats M/C, which was disbanded only to become d with, and later a patched member of, the Black Eagles M/C, a highly prestigious club based out of Dubai. The Black Eagles is the only M/C that understands the meaning of “brotherhood and family” in the Middle East. Now to the riding: Most of the United Arab Emirates is extremely flat. A run is typically made up of straight roads with little to no diversity, aside from a camel sleeping in the road, or the occasional goat herd, until you ride to one of the few mountainous areas. Leaving Au Dhabi, the first mountainous region is a rock formation with the name, Jebel Hafeet. It is near the border with Oman, on the edge of Al Ain. Its name (“the spring” in Arabic) is derived from its plentiful supply of fresh water, which makes its way underground across most of the plain lying before the Omani mountains. The ride from Abu Dhabi, home of the Grand Zayed Mosque is about 160 km (100 miles), most of which allows you to cruse at 120-140 km/h (75-87 mph) through the desert, with dunes and sparse vegetation lining the super highway that leads from the island of Abu Dhabi to the town of Al Ain. Along this road you encounter sheep and camel farms, small gardens of date palms, strip malls that border the access roads running parallel to the main highway, and Bedouin camps with colorful tents, typical to these desert nomads. While cruising the highway it is not uncommon to encounter farmers with camels in the back of pickup trucks which, by the way, become extremely curious when the roar of a big twin rolls by. Sand dunes begin to appear 40 to 45 km (about 25 miles) outside

The road to the top of Jebel Hafeet is a white-knuckler.

Reaching the top of the rock provides great views, and a chance to rest for Drifter and his wife Heike.

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of Abu Dhabi, and slowly grow to heights of 150 – 250 meters (500 – 800 ft.) as you near Al Ain. The sands of the UAE come in seven colors and nearing Al Ain it goes from a soft tan to a rich yellowish brown. This single mountain, Jebel Hafeet, is the goal of every biker in the southern 80% of the UAE. Why? Simple, it has everything a biker dreams about: twisty curves, switch backs, sharp turns and scenery that is breathtaking. The ride is short and very fast, totaling less than ten miles of heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping curves. The ride to the top offers spectacular lookouts, but the ride itself is the reason we all swarm to Jebel Hafeet. This road demands every ounce of concentration a rider has. Concrete barriers line the sides, which are covered in tire marks, glass from headlights and paint from the cages that could not make the tight curves. Side winds, with gusts exceeding 45 km/h (28 mph) blowing up from the desert’s floor below the mountain, add to the treachery of this mountain ride. It just adds yet another factor to the nerve tickle of conquering the rock they call Jebel Hafeet. Once the summit has been reached, there are several areas to rest, look out across the desert of the UAE and Oman, and relax. During several of the visits my wife made to the UAE, we rode to Jebel Hafeet to enjoy the mountain ride. It quickly became one of her favorite rides and destinations. Before the descent, a stop at the international Mercure Hotel for coffee or lunch is typical for those who do not trust the local cuisine, which is available at a fantastic Iranian restaurant located at the foot of the mountain. All in all, Jebel Hafeet is the Arab version of US 129, famously known as the Tail of The Dragon. Be aware that should you ever find yourself biking in the United Arab Emirates, the Jebel Hafeet ride is not for beginners. It is a knee dragger’s dream, and a cruiser’s nightmare. MAY 2011

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Drifter, the author, stands in front of our military’s version of an SUV, displaying the flag given to him by the Hico, West Virginia HOG Chapter.

Pusher maintains the A-10 that flew the H-D flag over Afghanistan.

Drifter shakes hands with Shrek, the A-10 pilot who proudly flew the flag over the bad guys in Afghanistan.

Birds (and HOGs) of a Feather Flock Together By Joey Drifter Shumate While working as a consultant for USFOR-A-S (United States Forces Afghanistan – South), and stationed at Kandahar Air Field, I was delighted to not only meet other bikers who share the same love for freedom, the feeling of two fists in the wind and the knees in the breeze, but they were for the largest part also HarleyDavidson owners. For those who have been deployed or worked overseas, especially in an area that is considered a combat zone, it is easily understandable that people seek with others who share similar life styles. It helps to have something in common, a touch of the known, a feeling of belonging. That being said, wearing a Harley-Davidson shirt or a HOG patch gets a lot of thumbs up and positive attention, as did my Harley-Davidson flag. Kandahar Air Field, located in the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan, is the second hottest area in Afghanistan. It is home to ISAF and NATO forces, comprised of no less than 20 nations ing forces to combat the Taliban. During the last year I met with men and women from almost every NATO or ISAF nation who share one thing: the love for riding. Those who stand out more than all the rest are Harley owners. This bond between brothers and sisters draws us together. It links us with each other, creating an atmosphere where, even if only for a short time, we felt somewhat at home. We gathered together to enjoy talking about our bikes, our rides, and for those who formed longer lasting friendships, the future rides together across most of these great United States. If the evening hours didn’t bring the excitement of a rocket attack, it would find us seeking the refuge of an isolated, less dusty bunker to sit, have a drink, and burn a cigar while sharing our biker tales, biker humor, or riding plans for when this time in hell comes to an end. 18 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

This is home for our forces at the Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan. The New River HOG Chapter in Hico, West Virginia, sent me a Harley-Davidson flag, which had been signed by Vets and ers. I have not only photographed the flag alone or with other Harley owners, but it has also flown on an A-10 “Wart Hawg” aircraft. This special favor of being flown during combat missions aboard the A-10, came through my personal with one of the U.S. Air Force maintainers with the road name Pusher, another dedicated Harley owner from Florida. Pusher and I have made plans for a long hard ride, starting in Panama City, Florida, and heading south. We plan to hit as many Tiki Bars as possible, while pounding away as many Rum and Cokes as we can, on our way to the Keys. Of course, we’ll try to hit as many, if not more, on the return run. The A-10 pilot with the call sign Shrek flew not only the HarleyDavidson flag for my brothers and sisters in the Hico chapter, but also the United States unit flag that had flown on the flag pole for six months. That flag was presented to me, and is now kept with honors in my West-by God-Virginia home. Shrek is one of the fly boys that is in close, and almost personal, during combat missions. I have seen A-10s with more than forty 7.62mm rounds fired through their wings and fuselage. The men and women who fly the A-10 are a special breed, and have earned my respect for the mission they execute, the fight they deliver. Also, I offer a special “hats off” to the maintainers of those aircraft whose job it is to ensure our pilots can not only deliver the fight to the enemy, but also keep our pilots as safe as humanely and technically possible, through well maintained and serviced fighter jets.

Despite chilly temps and a threat of rain, about forty bikers rode the run.

The Horses With Hearts program in action.

Yes, our Bike of the Month was there.

Horses with Hearts By Dave Luksa This was a great run for a great cause. Horses With Hearts is a non-profit organization near Martinsburg, that provides therapeutic horseback riding lessons for individuals with a variety of disabilities. The weather on the day of the run, Saturday, April 9, was cold and threatening rain. I was surprised to pull into Nan & Pop’s Place to see about 40 bikes in the parking lot! We were greeted outside by a couple of volunteers and one young man who was one of the riders. Inside I met a special lady by the name of Kay Barkwell. Kay is the director of Horses With Hearts. We talked about the organization and the story of a young girl named Lindsey Connelly, who had a cancerous tumor on her brain stem. After surgery, this once-healthy and vital child was blind, and confined to a wheelchair. Kay said that Lindsey loved to ride horses, and Kay vowed she would find a way for this to happen. That was the start of Horses With Hearts. Although Lindsey ed away before they could get her back in the saddle, she lives on through this great organization. Take a few moments to look at their web site: www.horseswithhearts.com. Horses With Hearts says some $3 thousand was raised during the event. I asked Kay - who also works as the Director of Children and Family Ministry for a local church - about her view of the steel horse riders at the event. A great smile came across her face and that said it all.

LEESON’S IMPORT MOTORS

320 W. Main Street, Bridgeport, WV 26330

Phone: (304) 842-5469 Fax: (304) 842-5848

www.thunderroadswv.com

MAY 2011

Thunder Roads® West Virginia 19

The Dolphin Insignia on the rear fender is actually the brake light.

E H T F O E BIK

H T N O M

Dive! Dive! Dive!

You won’t see Debbie on the back of Al’s bike very often. She rides her own.

By Gary Westphalen During the Cold War, when the Soviet Union and The United States postured nose-to-nose in a decades-long nuclear stand-off, the potential for global annihilation had school children practicing diving for cover under their desks. The relatively pointless exercise was never tested, in part because the U.S. maintained a potent fleet of nuclear-powered submarines that did their diving for cover under the world’s oceans. Each of these Boomers, as they are nicknamed, carried enough nuclear missile weaponry to start its own war. The very existence of Boomers, like the USS George C. Marshall, provided a stealthy nuclear deterrent that held itchy trigger fingers well away from the big red button. It was during this era, that Al Shawver served eight years in the navy, several of them aboard the Marshall as she went on routine nuclear deterrence patrols, sometimes diving so deep that the specifics remain classified to this day. As a Machinist Mate First Class (Submarine Service) on the USS George C. Marshall, Al Shawver understood the innermost workings of a nuclear-powered, ballistic missile submarine. It’s only natural that, years later, when he bought a motorcycle, a man like Al would want to know everything about how a bike works. “I very quickly realized how little I knew about motorcycles,” Al says, as we stand in the garage of his home in Falling Waters, West Virginia. “You could fit it on the head of a pin.” Not satisfied with this, Al dove into the process of educating himself, by reading everything about motorcycles that he could find. He devoured 20 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

books and websites. It wasn’t enough. “So, I got the idea; what if I built a bike?” Brushing off the chidings and snickers of friends who thought he was crazy, Al’s next dive was into the world of bike building. He found a frame, swing arm, and chrome wheels from DNA Specialties that fit his idea of the perfect bike. “The frame has 38° on the neck and the triple tree has 3° of rake, so the trail ends up being right around 4.7 inches,” Al explains. His search for a power plant ended with the RevTech 125, and a matching six-speed gearbox. “The 125 was the only one, at that time, that was built and assembled with U.S. parts, in the U.S.,” says Al of this monster motor. “Not that I necessarily needed a 125, but my thinking was: put it on, it’s big enough. It will certainly give you a thrill when you twist it. I will give it this, when you crank the throttle on this thing, hang on.” Küryakyn mirrors with integrated turn signals, and a Dakota Digital speedometer hang on the bars. All of the wiring is run inside, providing an ultra-clean look to the control center. A Vance & Hines two-into-one exhaust provides a bass note growl to the exhaust. The seat is a custom work made by Longo Seats. It is designed specifically to fit Al and this bike. In keeping with the nautical theme of the bike, the inset is a piece of shark skin. The

stitching on the rear of the pad is Al’s naval rating designator of MM1(SS). So far, so good. But what sets this bike apart from anything else on the road is a stunning paint job. “I wanted something that was clean, something that was unique in its own way, and represented my history,” Al says. “I had never seen a bike that had this kind of theme to it.” When he saw work done by Cutting Edge Illusions in Eugene, Oregon, he knew he had found his painter. Al sent them a picture of the USS George C. Marshall. They took it from there, painting the entire bike by hand, with an airbrush. “I want it to be a deep blue, like the sea, and I want it to have a water texture all over it,” Al recalls telling the painter. “As we went along, they came up with some ideas I hadn’t thought about, like the waves.” The three dimensional appearance to their efforts certainly captures the flavor of the high seas. At first glance, it may appear the image of a submarine is the same on both sides of the bike. But closer inspection reveals that the submarine depicted on the tank’s right side bears the hull number 654, and the sub on the left side is 627. Since Al Shawver served aboard the USS George C. Marshall, and its hull number was 654, the connection to that image is clear. 627 was the hull number of the USS James Madison. It turns out that Al’s older brother was also a submariner, and the Madison was his home beneath the waves. Each ship’s insignia is also painted on either side of the oil tank. The front fender bears a head-on look at a sub as it seems to be slipping below the waves. There is one last detail to the finish of Al’s bike that bears special note. At the tail end of the rear fender, there is a painting www.thunderroadswv.com

of a symbol unique to submariners. “When you qualify onboard submarines, you go through a very rigid qualification process,” Al explains. “Before you actually get qualified on the boat, you go up before a three-member board. They can ask you any questions about any system on the boat. If you satisfactorily go through that, then you go through an oral interview with the Commanding Officer. He gives the final yes or no. When you that, then you get what is called a set of Dolphins, and you wear it above your left breast pocket.” This insignia, adopted by the Navy in 1924, is still in use today. It depicts a submarine rigged for diving, flanked by a pair of dolphin fish (not the mammals) resting their heads on the upper edge of the sub’s bow planes. The Dolphins on Al’s bike blends effortlessly into the gorgeous detail airbrushed all over this bike…until he engages the brakes. It is only then that you realize this insignia is actually his brake light. The insignia is painted on a piece of Lexan®-like clear material that is flush-mounted into the fender so smoothly that even running a finger across the edge gives no clue of the t between the plastic covering and the surrounding metal fender. The brilliant light that shines through is provided by a sealed LED unit set beneath the plastic covering. “I’m not the kind of person that wants to show off,” says Al Shawver as he explains why we are more likely to see his gorgeous bike cruising the byways of West Virginia than sitting silently in a bike show. He didn’t build it to collect trophies. “I did what I did because I wanted to learn…I could learn more about how the pieces and parts of a bike fit together. That’s really what I was looking to do. I built it to ride.” MAY 2011

Thunder Roads® West Virginia 21

Rider’s Rest When Mark Wilson of Albright, West Virginia, decided to ride the Hoka Hey Challenge last year the one thing he wasn’t looking forward to was sleeping on the ground for several weeks straight. The solution, he reckoned, was to design a hammock that he could mount on his bike. So, this owner of Wiskybilt, a machine shop where he also works on bikes, put his engineering mind to work on the problem. What he came up with was simply ingenious, and ingeniously simple. A pipe that slipped into a mount he had built on the front downtubes of the frame, formed a stand on the ride side of the bike, essentially creating a stable tripod made up of the regular kickstand on the left, the slip-on stand on the right, and the rear wheel. From that same mounting bracket, another set of upwardangled tubes slipped together. Yet a third set slid over the back end of the right-side swingarm, also angled upward. From the ends of these two poles, he hung a modified hammock. Riding the Hoka Hey, Mark found that the rig worked beautifully. He was able to pull over virtually anywhere, pop up his hammock, and be comfortably sawing logs in no time. He even found that when he was riding in cold weather, he could stay warm in the hammock by running the engine for a few minutes. The heat would rise up right around him. By the time he got back home from the 15,000 mile trip Mark was convinced that he had stumbled upon a product that would interest many bikers. Since last summer he has been busy refining the concept, acquiring the patent, and developing marketing plans. The result is a system he is calling The Rider’s Rest. It packs small enough to fit into a saddlebag, goes up in minutes, is

22 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

Mark demonstrates the original design. This picture was taken at Mountainfest on the day he returned home from the Hoka Hey, and led to our citing his machine as Bike of the Month for September, 2010.

A collection of short pipes that lock together makes up the entire frame.

Once the framework is assembled, the hammock is strung across the uprights.

incredibly stable, and downright comfortable to sleep in. Mark has added another right-side stand at the rear of the bike, to provide a bit more stability. The actual hammocks are being made for him by a company that makes backpacking hammocks. It comes complete with a bug screen that zips all around the hammock itself, and even a rain fly to drape over the whole rig when the sky is threatening. Still not satisfied, Mark is redeg some little elements and looking ahead to units that offer even more comfortable hammocks. Wilson is currently deg the mounting brackets for the Thunder Roads West Virginia Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic. We plan to put the system to a long-term torture test this summer at the hands of Editor Gary Westphalen. As you can see in the pictures of the current design mounted on Mark’s bike, Gary’s already working hard on the story.

Gary is looking forward to a long, long, very long, test of the Rider’s Rest. www.thunderroadswv.com

MAY 2011

Thunder Roads® West Virginia 23

Keeping the Scenery Clean Covered from end to end by the ancient Appalachian Mountains, West Virginia remains, to me, one of the most beautiful, one of the most unique of all places, and I have seen lot of places throughout the world in my time. – the late Senator Robert C. Byrd

Trash-filled ditches are a sure way to ruin a scenic ride

By Barbara MacLennan Monongalia County Solid Waste Authority Wild, wonderful West Virginia is world-renowned for its tourism activities. Motorcycling, skiing, caving, zip lines, camping, white water rafting, fishing, hiking, hunting, music, and its heritage and cultural festivals are some of the best in the country. Over the past few years, a billion dollar eco-tourism industry centered on the character and environment of West Virginia has become a major source of economic development. Motorcyclists fall into this category because they don’t simply head to a destination point in the state; the wide open roads and West Virginia’s environment are the destination. According to the West Virginia Division of Tourism website, motorcycle touring and motorcycle festivals are popular activities because of the miles of winding country roads and scenery crossing the state. In the book National Geographic Guide to Scenic Highways & Byways, West Virginia was selected as a best Fall Foliage Destination. But as the trees become bare, any dump sites and litter along the roads are revealed. This is especially true for bikers, because many motorcyclists travel by West Virginia scenic routes, rather than highways. George Conley, Monongalia County Solid Waste Yard Supervisor, recalls riding back in the day when the roads weren’t as clean as they are now. He re that there was a lot of litter along the side of the highway back then. Gary Westphalen, editor/owner of Thunder Roads West Virginia, says, “Nothing irritates me more than riding down a beautiful West Virginia byway and having the experience destroyed by heaps of trash along the roadway.” Ann Weimann, an avid motorcyclist and co-owner of Smack, Jack, and Wack Enterprises doesn’t think that motorcyclists are the source of most litter, because they normally travel very light, but she does think they are impacted by it. “My daughter asks me, ‘Mom, why do people throw trash on the road?’” She says that they have done a few family clean-ups and mostly what they find are fast food bags. She adds, “Motorcycle people are the best people to deal with. They are the happiest people on earth, and they want to keep the earth beautiful so that they can continue to enjoy riding.” Laura J. Stiller, Monongalia County Solid Waste Authority Recycling Coordinator, has found from talking to people at outdoor show events that the people who enjoy the outdoors tend to be 24 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

Roadsides don’t make good ashtrays

very conscious about taking care of it. She says that most people she’s spoken with will tell her how they are careful not to litter, bring only what they need, pick up other people’s litter, and even report illegal dumpsites that are in areas where enforcement would not easily find them. She states, “Outdoor people are very serious about wanting to keep their environment safe and clean for their continued enjoyment.” This was evident at last summer’s MountainFest, when the Monongalia County Litter Control Office, Monongalia County Solid Waste Authority, and Smoker Friendly distributed two-thousand free pocket ashtrays, in only one-and-a-half hours. Anthony “Jambie” Giambrone, Monongalia County Litter Control Officer, reports that they were very well received. “People were eager to participate,” Jambie says. “Even non-smokers pointed out their smoking friends and got some for them. The litter crew cleaned up the roads near Mylan Park before the event and it didn’t seem like there was much roadside litter afterwards. The motorcyclists are very responsible; they are aware of what they do. People have this image of bikers throwing beer cans off their bikes, but that’s not true. They’ll see things other people don’t, and call us or the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to report problems.” Melissa Kennedy, Monongalia County Solid Waste Authority Marketing Agent, agrees that the pocket ashtrays do the job. “People

loved them. Most of them said, ‘Now I don’t have to put it in my pocket.’ Once you snuff out a cigarette it stinks worse than when it’s lit. A lot of bikers put it back in their pocket or back in their pack. They are really conscious about their surroundings. You always have some people who will always litter but most are really good.”

Pollution Prevention and Open Dumps (PPOD) Mapper (www.dep.wv.gov/dlr/ reap/ppod) to check if an open dump site has been cleaned up. Any West Virginia motorcyclists interested in receiving a free KippiPak disposable personal ashtray for cigarette butts can the Monongalia County SWA, at 304-292-3801 or moncoswa@ frontier.com.

Chaplain Matthew Riegel, Lutheran Campus Ministry at WVU, believes that while the argument for motorcycles as vehicles of environmental stewardship are not as straightforward as we bikers might like to claim, he has found that, “In the end, all I can say for myself as a biker is: 90% of my riding is required business travel, and there is a lot of it. I also ride a comparatively quiet bike. I can also tell you that the most significant environmental impact of riding a bike has been its salutary influence upon the environment located between my ears.” According to Ben Smith, Marion County Litter Control Officer, West Virginians can their local litter control officer through the county commission or the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Pollution Prevention and Open Dumps (PPOD) program at 304-926-0448 to report dumpsites, or volunteer to do a dump clean-up. Bikers can also check out the

www.thunderroadswv.com

Pocket ashtrays are available free by ing the Monongalia County Solid Waste Authority, at 304-292-3801

MAY 2011

Thunder Roads® West Virginia 25

Curtis Fleming goes fishing for a living, and rides his Street Glide for, well, relaxation.

Fly Rod Chronicles

Jeremy Salyer brought the essence of Curtis Fleming and his show to the bike with life-like artistry in every stroke of his airbrush.

28 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

By Gary Westphalen “I think, maybe I’m the bravest guy in the world,” is how Curtis Fleming reflects on the events that have made up his life to this point. This native son of Bridgeport, West Virginia, comes from a family of brave Americans. His father was a Marine who later ed his family by working in the coal mines. But Curtis’ bravado came in a different form. He spent years working with troubled youth, and then became President and CEO of a West Virginia gas and oil company. It was only after 15 years of working in those arenas that he got “brave”. “I went home one day and told my wife, ‘I’m quitting a perfectly good job, and I’m going to fish for the rest of my life.’ That’s kind of brave, right?,” Curtis says with a trademark grin spreading across his boyish face. For five years now, Curtis has been traveling the world over, catching fish in some of the most amazing places on the planet. The trick is that he does it all in front of television cameras, hosting a fishing show called Fly Rod Chronicles. His award-winning show airs on the Sportsman Channel, a cable and satellite network, and he is just beginning to syndicate reruns of the series. “One of the places we went to was Togiak, Alaska,” Curtis says as he recounts his wilder trips for Thunder Roads West Virginia. The Togiak National Wildlife Refuge is an immense wilderness area in the southwestern region of that state, whose rivers empty into the Bering Sea. “We were dropped on a glacier by a floatplane. The guide said, ‘We’ll pick you up in eight days, 58 miles downriver.’ So, everything that we owned for eight days was on a raft. You had your own personal, little tiny raft that you lived on, and a tent.” On the April weekend when I catch up with him, life for Curtis is a whole lot cushier than that glacier float trip. He has brought his show back to the Home State, taping an episode on the springtimeswollen North Fork of the Potomac River. Staying in the gorgeous Harman’s North Fork Cottages in Cabins, West Virginia, Curtis and his crew are literally just steps away from some of the best trout fishing around. Being this close to home means he has also brought along one of his other ions. Sitting just outside his

cabin is a beautiful 2010 Harley-Davidson Street Glide. “It hits me on the flight back,” Curtis says about the thoughts that run through his mind as he is returning from a fishing trip at some exotic locale. “I want to see my wife, my kids, and go for a ride on my bike.” Riding motorcycles is a fairly new adventure for Curtis Fleming, but it has already become an integral part of his lifestyle. “I’ve gotten more of my creativity for shows in that saddle right there.” So why, you might wonder, does a guy with a dream job like fulltime fisherman end up deciding that he needs a hobby like riding a bike? Actually, he didn’t. It wasn’t his idea at all. Putting Curtis on an FLXH was the brainchild of Barbara Grove, who owns the Grove’s Harley-Davidson shop in Winchester, Virginia. When she saw Fly Rod Chronicles, she ed Curtis. “I had never met Barbara. She’s been really strong in the community, and I’ve always heard she’s a very savvy business person,” Curtis recalls. “When we found out that she was considering doing a bike, and putting it together for Fly Rod Chronicles – I’ve got to be honest with you – I was intimidated.” Then, Ms. Grove made this sweet deal, even sweeter. As part of a sponsorship package that would put the bike in the Opening Video of his television show, she would have the bike custom painted with images related to Fly Rod Chronicles. The project was put in the capable hands of Jeremy Salyer of Grizzly Custom Graphics, in Slanesville, West Virginia. “She said she would like me to be part of the project with her and Curtis,” Jeremy says of his call from Barbara Grove. “They pretty much gave me free rein, and let me do what I wanted to do with the bike.” “Jeremy asked me for some artwork and photos, and got familiar with the show. Got familiar with what we do,” Curtis says. “But all of this on the tank was all Jeremy.” The tank sides bear the likenesses of fish swimming underwater that are incredibly three-dimensional. For a moment you expect them to swim on by. As a certified diver, I have spent many hours underwater, watching fish in their natural habitats. Jeremy captures the nuances of how a fish looks underwater, and how the sunlight plays through the surface waves, breaking into streaming highlights and shadows. “I’m a real, real big fan of the black and grey work,” Jeremy says when talking about why he chose his color scheme. The smoky texture he gives the water surfaces works well against the black bike. “They just let me go wild with it, and this is what I came up with. I tried to make it look as realistic as possible,

A striking likeness of Curtis’ Signature Fly Rod adorns the front fender.

continued on next page... www.thunderroadswv.com

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Thunder Roads® West Virginia 29

Curtis and Amanda go fishing in front of the camera. She lands four beautiful Rainbow Trout within minutes.

even with the reflections in the water, and the lighting. I tried to really give the depth and the appearance that you really are underwater.” Part of Jeremy’s research was to get acquainted with the show. He watched some DVD’s of the show, to get a feel for Curtis’ down-home, folksy style. He saw that Curtis doesn’t just go fishing. He brings the flavor of his locations into play, by introducing his viewers to the people who breathe life into the landscape. He’s also not afraid to let his viewers see him throw a cast into a tree, or fall into the water. Even an expert makes a mistake now and then. But could this fly fisherman, this television fly fisherman, new to motorcycles, find a place in the motorcycle community? At first, Curtis - not knowing what to expect - was worried. “They invited me to the poker runs and the Harley rides. And I was like, ‘Man, they’re not going to accept me. They’re going to see, like, I’m this pretty-boy fly fisherman.’ And it was totally the opposite,” Curtis says, again with that smile. “It’s a brotherhood that they bring you in to. It doesn’t matter what you look like. As long as you’re respecting them.” Along with Curtis Fleming’s new-found love for motorcycling, came his interest in all things motorcycle. To feed his curiosity, Curtis starting picking up Thunder Roads West Virginia. In December of last year, he flipped the magazine

30 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

open to our center calendar page. There he saw a photograph of Amanda Jackson, happily stuffing presents into the sidecar of Santa Clause’s Indian. Their paths had crossed before. “My history would go back to me as a little girl,” says Amanda, as we talk about her love of fishing. A native of the Summersville area, Amanda now makes her home in Hedgesville. “I grew up with a family that loves the outdoors. I can my dad taking me fishing when I was little, and it just stayed with me. Every time I go back home my dad and I head to a fishing spot.” “Curtis and I had been talking briefly about hunting and fishing,” Amanda says of her first encounter with Curtis Fleming. “I was the Center Calendar Model for Thunder Roads West Virginia in December. After he saw it, he asked me to do a shoot with his bike, which is where Thunder Roads West Virginia came in. So after some conversations, he asked me to co-host a show with him and it went from there.” Where it “went” was to this good-time day at Todd Harman’s Cottages. Amanda and Curtis taped a segment of Fly Rod Chronicles, during which she caught four beautiful Rainbow Trout. She tells me she is now hooked, and is in search of her own fly rod. Curtis interviewed Donna and me about Thunder Roads West Virginia for his show. I get to tell the story about how a fly fisherman from Bridgeport, a model from Summersville by way of Hedgesville, a painter from Slanesville, and a magazine editor who lives on the seat of his bike somewhere in the state, were brought together for a fun day on the river. And, if you still haven’t figured out all of the things that connect fishing with biking in this tale, Curtis Fleming has one last thought that might help. “The other correlation between a Harley and fly fishing is: when you’re fly fishing, it’s all about the bugs.”

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Thunder Roads® West Virginia 31

Set the cones 20 or 30 feet apart and weave through from one end to the other. As you get better at the exercise, reduce the spacing between cones. In the photo sequence, note that the rider’s focus is not on the immediate obstacle, but rather on the exit point of the exercise.

N

o matter how nicely you put your bike away last fall, when you break it out this spring you see those little touches of tarnish around the edges. You know that bolt underneath the swingarm? The one with the rust that wasn’t there last November? Those little spots of tarnish on the engine casing? That aluminum rim that you could see yourself in now looks more like a funhouse mirror. Oh, yeah. It’s going to take some time to get that bike ready for the road.

When all the tuning, washing, and polishing is finished, your machine is ready to hit the road. But the most important feature of the bike might still be a bit rusty. Your riding skills haven’t been practiced for a while, and they suffer from the same corrosive effects of disuse as your bike does. So, before you hit the open highways, take a little time to polish your technique in the saddle. A little parking lot practice will build more confidence as a rider, and keep you safer. Plus, it’s a lot of fun. So, grab one of your riding partners, along with a dozen or so of orange cones, tennis balls cut in half, or even water bottles salvaged from the recycling bin, and find an empty corner of a parking lot. We’ve got some skills to polish.

32 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

The Weave The lines in most parking lots are about ten feet apart, and they provide a great guide for setting up some obstacle courses. Let’s start with a simple serpentine exercise. Put at least a half-dozen markers in a straight row, placing one on every third parking lot line. That’s about thirty feet apart, and should provide a very easy course for even a novice rider. Weave your way through the cones, ing them alternately on the left and right. Work on developing a smooth pace of about 15 miles per hour, with a minimum of steering input. One key to succeeding at this is to keep your head up, and your focus as far down the line of cones as possible. If you’re staring at the cone directly in front of you, you’re probably going to hit it. Once you’re satisfied with the results, close the gaps between cones. Make it twenty feet, or even fifteen. Aim for the same smooth pace and steering. The Turn Once you’ve mastered the weave, it’s time to move on to the turning exercise. Failing to execute a proper turn probably s for more motorcycle accidents than any other maneuver, particularly for new riders. A common cause in these cases is usually a failure on the rider’s part to look through the turn. Just as in the previous exercise, it’s important to look, not at where you are, but where you want to go. Set up your cones to outline a tight turn. Approach the turn at a speed of about 15 miles-per-hour. Slow down as you approach the turn. Reining in the speed before you enter the turn is critical. If you attempt to brake or roll off the throttle when you are already turning, basic physics will make your bike want to go straight. An advanced cornering technique is to “drag” the rear brake lightly through the turn, but it’s a practice best left on the race track. The real world has obstacles like gravel or rain grooves in many turns, and even an accomplished rider can get in trouble using this technique. Focus your vision on the exit point of the corner. You’re going to steer your bike in the direction you are looking. If you focus on that ditch or guard rail straight ahead of you, you’ll end up there. By looking through the corner, you’ll be surprised at how smoothly you can execute even the sharpest of turns. As your bike reaches the mid-point, or apex, of the turn, gently roll onto the throttle as you move your gaze even further down your intended path. Just as in the previous exercise, the goal is to complete the move with smooth and precise control of speed and direction. Be sure to practice both left and right turns. Most people find they turn better in one direction over the other. Roads don’t accommodate for this natural trait, so it’s important to master both turns. In fact, the direction that gives you trouble is the one you need to practice most. continued on next page... www.thunderroadswv.com

Set the cones to simulate the inner and outer edges of a 90° turn. The arrows indicate a right turn exercise. To practice left turns, simply reverse your direction of travel through the cones. In the photo sequence, note that the rider’s attention is focused on the exit point of the turn. MAY 2011

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A pair of cones outlines the entrance and exit points to the exercise. Halfway between, another pair of cones simulate the obstacle. The riders focus remains on the exit point throughout the run.

The Swerve The next exercise hones a skill that riders use almost every time they leave the garage. There is no experience quite like running right over a dead thing that has been sunning itself in a sweltering summer heat wave. Not only is the result of a close encounter with a dead thing objectionable to the senses and the cleanliness of your bike, but it can be flat-out dangerous. Learning to safely swerve around an obstacle is critical. Set up a pair of markers a few feet apart to signify the entrance to your obstacle site, and a similar pair at the exit about forty feet away. Halfway in between these points, place the obstacle you are trying to avoid. For practice purposes, let’s forgo the use of an actual dead thing, and simply use a couple of cones set side-by-side to give the obstacle some width. As in the previous exercises, keep a steady speed of 15-20 mph and controlled steering inputs. Do not brake or slow down at all. Just as in the cornering exercise, if you brake, your bike will go straight over the obstacle. Focus your attention on the exit point. As you ride through the entrance cones, press forward on the handlebar in the direction you have chosen to take around the obstacle. If, for example, you want to go left, apply forward pressure on the left side of the bar. As you clear the obstacle, press on the opposite handlebar to bring your bike back to a straight trajectory, and ride on through the exit markers. As you begin to master this technique, extend the width of your obstacle to increase the difficulty of clearing it. These exercises, and many more, are published in a able booklet produced by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Use your web browser to search for the MSF website and click on the Library/Safety Tips button at the top of the home page. The booklet is entitled “You and your motorcycle: Riding Tips” and is one of several available on the site. Since trikes and scooters have slightly different handling characteristics than standard bikes, there are specialized booklets available for them. One final suggestion: consider enrolling in a rider training course. MSF, among others, offers several kinds of classes. In addition to the basic training course, there is a special course for experienced riders. No matter how long you have been riding a bike, or how many miles you have logged, these courses are going to open your eyes to some bad habits and good techniques that you should know about. Everyone learns things from a day on the course that just might save a life.

Your Getaway to the Friendliest Clothing-Optional Resort!

Bikes, Blues & BBQ Saturday June 11, 2011 • • • • 34 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

Motorcycle Show Live Blues Band BBQ & Draft Beer DJ Dance

Rates, Event Schedules & Reservations:

304-947-5600

e-mail: [email protected]

• Lodging • Tent & RV Camping • Pools, Hot Tubs & Sauna Located in Paw Paw, West Virginia 2 hours from Washington DC/Baltimore

www.avalon-resort.com

Dining Family rience Ex pe

ed n u se r v Full me to 10pm 6am S-M-T at 24 hrs W-S

Mome’s Plac

“Her legacy lives on”

“ G ood H om e ” Cooking

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MAY 2011

The end of Hoult Road by the Phillips Plant in Fairmont, WV

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36 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

The Cowboy and The Bikers A cowboy appeared before St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. “Have you ever done anything of particular merit?”  St. Peter asked. “Well, I can think of one thing,” the cowboy offered. “On a trip to the Black Hills out in South Dakota, I came upon a gang of bikers who were threatening a young woman. I directed them to leave her alone, but they wouldn’t listen. So, I approached the largest and most tattooed biker, smacked him in the face, kicked his bike over, ripped out his nose ring, and threw it on the ground. I yelled, “Now, back off or I’ll kick the crap out of all of you!” St. Peter was impressed. “When did this happen?” “A couple of minutes ago.” ___________________________________________________ The Lord and the Biker A biker was riding along a California beach when suddenly the sky clouded above his head and, in a booming voice, the Lord said, “Because you have tried to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish.” The biker pulled over and said, “Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can ride over anytime I want.” The Lord said, “Your request is materialistic. Think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking. The s that would be required to reach the bottom of the Pacific! The concrete and steel it would take! It will nearly exhaust several natural resources. I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of something that would honor and glorify me.”

Agnes’s 80-year old husband, Joe, is now trying to hide, holding his forehead with the palm of his hand and shaking his head from side to side, while his wife replies, “Well, I just asked my husband how we could help, and he said, ‘Screw him.’” ___________________________________________________ Baptizing A Drunk A man is stumbling through the woods totally drunk when he comes upon a preacher baptizing people in the river. The drunk walks into the water and bumps into the preacher. The preacher turns around and is almost overcome by the smell of booze. He asks the drunk, “Are you ready to find Jesus?’ “Yes I am.” replies the drunk. So the preacher grabs him and dunks him in the river. He pulls the drunk up and asks, “Brother have you found Jesus?” The drunk replies, “No, I haven’t.” The preacher, shocked at the answer, dunks him into the water again, but for a bit longer this time. He pulls the man out of the water and asks again, “Have you found Jesus, my Brother?” The drunk again answers, “No, I have not found Jesus.” By this time the preacher is at his wits end so he dunks the drunk in the water again, but this time he holds him down for about 30 seconds. When the drunk begins kicking his arms and legs, the preacher pulls him up. The preacher asks the drunk again, “For the love of God, now have you found Jesus?” The drunk wipes his eyes, catches his breath, and says to the preacher, “Are you sure this is where he fell in?”

The biker thought about it for a long time. Finally he said, “Lord, I wish that I could understand my wife. I want to know how she feels inside, what she’s thinking when she gives me the silent treatment, why she cries, what she means when she says nothing’s wrong, and how I can make a woman truly happy.” The Lord replied, “You want two lanes or four on that bridge?” ___________________________________________________ Double Meanings At Sunday church the local Preacher explains that he must move on to a larger congregation that will pay him more. There is a hush within the congregation. No one wants him to leave, because he is so popular. Fred Smith, who owns several motorcycle and auto dealerships, stands up and proclaims, “If the Vicar stays, I will provide him with a new HarleyDavidson every year, and his wife with a Honda mini-van to transport their children!” The congregation sighs in appreciation and applauds. Sam Brown, a successful investor, stands and says, “If the Vicar will stay on here, I’ll personally double his salary and establish a foundation to guarantee private secondary school education of his children!” More sighs and loud applause ensue. Agnes Jones, age 78, stands and announces with a smile, “If the Vicar stays, I will give him sex.” There is total silence. The Preacher, blushing, asks her, “Mrs. Jones, you’re a wonderful and holy lady, whatever possessed you to say that?” www.thunderroadswv.com

Got a Favorite Joke? Thunder Roads West Virginia wants to share it! We are always looking for submissions of all kinds for the magazine, and that includes your jokes. We let our hair down a little bit on this page, so moderately adult humor is welcome. However, bad language and blatantly nasty stuff might get shared around the office, but isn’t going to make it into print. Send your funny business to [email protected]. MAY 2011

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I hope that everyone enjoyed last month’s Ramp recipes. As I write this, Moe and I just had a bowl of Ramp Chili and it was good. Not only is it a treat to your sense of taste, it is also a treat to your sense of smell. The house just smells great when ramps are cooking. When thinking about the column for May, I was trying to decide what might be good. My husband and I enjoy having a party every spring. It is a nice time to get together with friends and enjoy the nice weather after the long cold winter. I thought that some quick and easy recipes for appetizers would be good. I hope that you find something that you enjoy.

BLUE CHEESE BITES

1 roll Pillsbury bread sticks (plain) 4 oz. blue cheese ½ stick margarine Melt the margarine and the blue cheese together. Prepare jelly roll pan by lining it with foil and spray the foil with Pam. Roll the bread stick dough out and cut into bite size pieces. Place the pieces on the pan . Place them close together. Pour the melted margarine and blue cheese mixture over the dough. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. They should be golden brown. _____________________________________________________________

LAYERED MEXICAN DIP

1 – 15 oz. can refried beans 4 plum tomatoes diced 3 avocados 1 bunch green onion sliced Juice of half a lemon 3 or 4 jalapenos chopped or sliced black olives 1 pt. sour cream 1 package taco seasoning mix 1 – 8 oz package shredded cheddar cheese Tortilla chips Mash the avocados and mix with the lemon juice. Mix the taco seasoning in the sour cream. In a 9 x 13 layer the ingredients in the following order: refried beans, avocados, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, green onion and jalapenos or olives. Serve with the tortilla chips to dip. ______________________________________________________________

HUMMUS

1 – 15 oz. can garbanzo beans ½ cup Tahini (sesame seed paste) Juice of one lemon Garlic cloves (2 to 4 depending on size) Few drops of soy sauce Drain the bean (reserve the fluid) and put them in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and process. Add the reserved liquid a little at a time until the mixture becomes a smooth paste and the consistency is spreadable. This is great spread on pita bread or as a dip for vegetables. ______________________________________________________________

CHIPPED BEEF BALL

1 large jar dried beef 1 small onion finely chopped 2 – 8 oz. packages cream cheese 2 – 4 tbsp horseradish (depending on your taste) Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature. Grind the dried beef in a food processor until fairly fine. Add ¾ of the beef, the chopped onion and horseradish to the cream cheese and thoroughly mix. Pour the remaining chopped beef onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form the cheese mixture into a ball and roll in the beef and wrap in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate. Serve with crackers. 38 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

CRAB DIP

16 oz. cream cheese 4 tbsp mayonnaise Juice of ½ lemon Onion powder (to taste)

8 oz. sour cream 16 oz. crab meat garlic powder (to taste) 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients, except 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, together and pour into a baking dish sprayed with Pam. Top with the second cup of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until it is bubbly and the cheese it starting to get golden brown. Serve with crackers or garlic toast rounds. _____________________________________________________________

GARLIC TOAST ROUNDS 1 or 2 baguettes 1 cup olive oil

3 or 4 garlic cloves finely minced

Mince the garlic and mix with olive oil in a small pan. Over a low heat let the garlic sweat in the oil and then let it cool. Slice the bread into ¼ inch slices. Brush one side of each round with the oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 – 15 minutes until they the rounds are crisp.

With spring here, it is time to find wild mint growing. With that wild mint, you can make a wonderful refreshing drink – a Mojito. If you don’t have a place where you can find wild mint, it is easy to grow. In fact it will take over your garden or yard. I prefer spearmint for the Mojitos, but peppermint works well also. Hope you enjoy.

MOJITO 1/3 cup sugar ½ cup fresh lime juice Crushed ice

½ cup fresh mint (roughly chopped) 1 cup white rum Club soda

In a small pitcher muddle together the sugar, mint and lime juice. Add the rum and then strain into 4 to 6 10-oz. glasses. Add the crushed ice and finish by filling the glass with club soda. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and lime slices. For those of you who are wondering how you muddle, it means to crush the ingredients into a mash with a muddling tool which is like a small bat. You can find a muddling tool at a kitchen store, but if you don’t want to spend the money or don’t live close to a good kitchen store, you can use the handle end of a wooden spoon. ______________________________________________________________ I hope that you enjoy this month’s culinary offerings. I really would enjoy hearing from everyone about how you like the recipes and what you would like to see in the future. If you have any ideas of what you would like to see in this column or any recipes that you would like to submit, please email me at recipes@thinderroadswv. com. Happy eating and drinking.

www.thunderroadswv.com

MAY 2011

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40 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

Seats & Saddles

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MAY 2011

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42 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

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HOME COOKED MEALS

AYS MOND & DAYS S E N WED r

you Wear Pop’s & n Na t T-Shireer is b t s 1 d an E

FRE

DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS

15 ¢ SHRIMP MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS Thursdays 5-9pm 20oz Strip Steak done by Chef Joe With Baked Potato & Salad $15.00

Biker Sundays All Bikers on 2 Wheels (or 3 Wheels) $1.50 Domestics

Fun Run Ride Outs every Sunday 1:30 – 2:00

EVERY FRIDAY DJ

SOBER TAXI E SERVIC BLE AVAILA

MAY BANDS 7TH – JAGGED EDGE 13TH – JAM WITH NO WARNING & CROSS BONZ 14TH – HARLEY-DAVIDSON WEDDING 21ST – DEFYANCE 28TH - MARCH TIL MORNING

44 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

MAY

Events

May 7 – Inwood, WV Life Run 2011 & Family Festival The Life Riders Life Run 2011 starts at the New Life Community 4102 Tabler Station Road, Inwood, WV. Registration begins at 10:30am. Kickstands up at 12:00pm for an hour ride through scenic Back Creek Valley. Family Festival begins at 12:30pm. Free Food, Bike Show, Live Music and Games for Kids. Guest speaker Jim “Jammer” Marcum featured in Thunder Roads West Virginia. 304-262-6522 [email protected] or visit www.wvpost14riders.net

JUNE

June 3 - 5 – Franklin, WV C.E.’s Helping Hands Fun Fest C.E.’s Helping Hands annual Fun Fest Bike Rally at Thorn Spring Park in Franklin, WV. $7.00 per person or $10.00 a couple for the weekend.

www.thunderroadswv.com

Fee waived with Cabin, Tent, RV Rental or 2011-12 hip. Friday - Fellowship Ride at 4 pm. Saturday – Poker Run Registration at 9 am Kickstands up at 10 am. For more information email email@cehelpinghands. com or visit www.cehelpinghands.com. June 4 – Nutter Fort, WV 10th Annual Hogs for Dogs Dice Run Sponsored by B&B Harley-Davidson. The ride starts at B&B Harley-Davidson in Nutter Fort. Registration is from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. For more information call 304592-1600 June 4 – Romney, WV Romney Cycles Bike Night Romney Cycles Bike Night 4:00pm - 8:00pm Store will be open from 9:00am until 8:00pm Romney Cycles 51 Industrial Park, Romney, WV 25757 304-822-3933 www.romneycycles.com June 5 – Williamstown, WV 8th Annual Juvenile Diabetes Benefit Run Sponsored by Borderline Chapter Harley Owners Group The ride starts at S&P Harley-Davidson, 80 Thunder Road in Williamstown. The first bike will leave at 11:00 am and the last bike will leave at 1:00 pm. All motorcycles are welcome. The fee is $10.00 for each person. This event will benefit area diabetic youth attending Camp Kno-Koma. For more information call 740-373-0682, or www.sandpharleydavidson.com June 11 – Farmington, WV Dana Hibbs Memorial Ride Charity ride to honor the memory of Dana Hibbs who was killed in a motorcycle crash. Proceeds go the Kyle Petty’s Victory Junction Gang camp for children with serious and/or life threatening diseases or illnesses. : Brad Hibbs 304-290-2899 or email [email protected]

LIST YOUR MOTORCYCLE EVENT FOR FREE

Let bikers all across the state know about your motorcycle event without spending a penny. Thunder Roads West Virginia provides this space to announce events free of charge. Events unrelated to motorcycles are not eligible. You may attach a flier with information to an email, and send it to events@ www.thunderroadswv.com. Information we need is: City or County where the event is being held; Date; Name of Event; Name and address of the Start/Finish location; Timing of the event (, kickstands up, finish time, etc); A brief (2-3 sentence) description of the event and who is benefiting (if applicable); also a name and phone number or email to for more information. MAY 2011

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46 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

West Virginia

One year subscription to Thunder Roads is only $35 a year.

The nation’s largest FREE biker publication can be delivered right to your door. Name___________________________________ Address_________________________________ City____________________________________ State_________________ Zip_______________ Make Check payable to: Thunder Roads West Virginia Mail check and this form to:

Thunder Roads West Virginia P.O. Box 606 Charles Town, WV 25414

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MAY 2011

Thunder Roads® West Virginia 47

BIKER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY ATTORNEYS

Hide Away Tavern Rt. 50 Burlington, WV Near WVDOH District 5 Shed (304) 289-5396

Law Offices of Ralph C. Buss Motorcycle Accident/Injury Law Ohio, WV, KY, PA & Indiana (800) 582-5577 www.ralphbuss.com

Iffie’s Sports Bar & Grill 7113 Winchester Ave Inwood, WV 25428 (304) 229-2999

Law Offices of Kelly Reed 204 Spruce Street Morgantown, WV 26554 (304) 292-2020 (800) 834-2020 www.kellyreedlaw.com Charles E. Stalnaker Attorney at Law Serving all of West Virginia (888) 420-2752 www.charlesestalnaker.com

BAIL BONDS

Iron Horse Bar & Grill HC 84 Box 33 (Cutoff Road) Keyser, WV 26726 (304) 788-7533 Just One More Lounge, Casino, Restaurant, Ice Cream Intersection 218N & Rt.7W Blacksville, WV 26521 Open Jam Night, Weekend Entertainment Bikers Welcome - Home Cooking at (304) 879-5041

Petie’s Pub & Grill 304 Morgantown Avenue Fairmont, WV 26554 (304) 363-0698 Bike Nite to Start April 1st. Poor Dave’s Restaurant and Lounge Rt. 55 – American Legion Petersburg, WV 26847 (304) 257-4322 [email protected] Potter’s Hill Top Inn 4726 US Hwy. 33 West Camden, WV 26338 (304) 269-4004 Coldest beer in town. Quaker Steak & Lube Bike Nite Thursdays 2931 Mountaineer Blvd. Charleston, WV (304) 746-9401 www.the lube.com

Weatherholtz Bonding 306 West Stephen Street Martinsburg, WV 25401 (304) 267-5888 or (304) 728-6889 [email protected]

Longshots Billiards 76 Wolfcraft Way Charles Town, WV 25414 (304) 724-1975 www.longshotsbilliards.com

BARS & RESTAURANTS

Lost River Grill, Motel and B&B 8079 SR 259 Lost River, WV (304) 897-6482 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Accommodations Biker Friendly Full Service Bar www.lostrivergrill.com

The Rock Sports Bar Located on Rt. 11 North of Martinsburg 2573 Williamsport Pike Martinsburg, WV (304) 263-5558

Lost River Brewing 155 West Main Street Wardensville, WV 26851 (304) 874-4455 www.lostriverbrewing.com

Rock Forge Inn/Haught Diggity Dogz Serving WV’s #1 Rated Chili Dog Off I-68 at Sabraton Exit #4 Turn left .2 mile – Red Roof on right Rt. 7 East (304) 291-DOGZ (3649)

The Millstone Barbeque Restaurant Rt. 50 West Burlington, WV Great Pork-Ribs-Steak & Shrimp and Cold Beer (304) 289-3693

Royal Restaurant 88 N. Main St., Keyser, WV Good Home Cookin’ Check us out on Facebook (304) 788-9825

Colt’s Restaurant and Pizza Park Inc. 425 S. Main St. Moorefield, WV 26836 (304) 538-2523

Mom’s Place Full menu served 24 hours a day The end of Hoult Road by the Phillips Plant Fairmont, WV (304) 368-9223

Santana’s Pub 2430 Smithtown Rd (Rt. 73, near Goshen Rd) Morgantown WV (304) 241-5762 Full Kitchen Now Open! Outside Facilities – Awesome Food!

Desperado’s Bar & Grill 35 Potomac Street Ridgeley, WV 26753 Food – Games – Cold Beer (304) 738-0010

Mountaineer All Star Cafe U.S. Rt. 220 South / 2 mi. from Keyser A Family Restaurant with a Sports Atmosphere (304) 788-6433

Sissie’s Bellview Bar 1009 Pennsylvania Ave. Fairmont, WV 26554 Tues. 8pm Pool Tournament Thurs. 8pm Women’s Pool Tournament Cold Beer - Good Food

Four Corners Club 72 Pedal Car Drive Inwood, WV 25428 (304) 229-3443 www.the4cornersclub.com

Nan & Pops Place 3485 Winchester Avenue Martinsburg, WV 25405 (304) 267-2007 www.nanandpopsplace.com

Star Mercantile, LLC 80 W. Main Street Wardensville, WV 26851 (304) 874-FOOD (3663) [email protected]

Harper’s Old Country Store & Front Porch Restaurant View Seneca Rocks from the Deck Casual Dining - Store built in 1902 (304) 567-2555

The Office Pub 17 Virginia Avenue, Petersburg Open 11:00am to 1:00am or Later Tuesday – Saturday (304) 257-1877

Steve’s Broken Spoke Bar & Grill 14977 SR 55 Needmore, WV 26801 (304) 897-7706 www.oldroute55.com

Bee Hive Tavern 463 Morgantown Avenue Fairmont, WV 26554 (304) 282-8196 One block from Thinkin Ink Tattoo Chicken Lizards 7306 Husky Highway Mannington, WV 26582 (304) 986-1158 2 mi. North of Mannington on Rt. 250 Cindy’s Bar & Grill Route 3 (End of Speedway) Fairmont, WV 26554 (304) 363-0058 Pool Tournaments Weekly

48 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

Road Hogs Saloon 415 Clayton Street Rivesville, WV 26588

BIKER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY The Sweet Shoppe 125 W. Washington-Lewisburg, WV (304) 645-3214 Open Mon-Fri at 3:30pm Open Saturday and Sunday at 5:00pm Bike Night Specials Sunday Night

Smack, Jack and Wack Upholstery Custom Motorcycle Seat Specialists Seat Softening and Gel Pad Inserts “Set Your Crack On Smack, Jack and Wack!” Morgantown, WV (304) 328-5707

Uncle Joe’s Wood Pile Rt. 1, Box 400 Ridgeley, WV 26753 (304) 726-8505

Toxic Paint Custom Air Brush, Fabrication, Design & Collision Repair Morgantown, WV 26505 - Star City Danny (480) 650-4743, RJ (304) 826-6688 Tod (304) 376-4333 Office (304) 777-2134, Shop (304) 599-4195

Weston Moose Lodge 1376 1376 Rider Group 17 South Main Street Weston, WV (304) 517-1332 Stop in for a good time anytime! Your Tavern 304-329-2078 Rte. 7 Kingwood, WV Friday night Wing night Big Screen TVs Where friends meet year ‘round.

BIKER ACCESSORIES, APPAREL, LEATHERS & GIFTS Cool Ridge 329 High St. Morgantown, WV 26505 (304) 296-5757 Mon - Sat 11 to 7 / Sun 12 to 5 “Take It Easy”

Hawgs-N-Dawgs Biker Apparel – Leather – H-D Boots Patches & More 112 Davis Avenue - Glen Lyn, VA 24093 (540) 726-3080 HIAWATHA’S Boots – Hats – Jewelry – Gifts – Aigner Leather Moccasins – Beaded Jackets – WV Shirts Jct. Rt. 250 S. & 33 E. Elkins, WV 26241 (304) 636-4836 “JUST LOOK FOR THE INDIAN PRINCESS”

CUSTOM APPAREL

My Club Clothing and Accessories Embossed, Silk Screened and Embroidered Custom Logos Kerry Henson (301) 733-9508 (717) 448-0975 www.myclubclothing.com

CUSTOM ART

Art by Weeze Custom art on bikes, leathers, helmets, auto, canvas & murals Martinsburg, WV (304) 264-4604 www.artbyweeze.com http://profile.to/weezemace/

CUSTOM DESIGN & FABRICATION Brown’s Custom Coating & Fabrication Powder Coating & Fabrication Rte. 1 Box 603 Mt. Clair, WV 26408 (304) 669-8976

www.thunderroadswv.com

Romney Cycle Center 51 Industrial Park Romney, WV 26757 (866) 766-1495 (304) 822-3933 www.romneycycles.com Ruff Road Cycle L.L.C. Authorized Drag Specialty Dealer Tires & Service – Fast Turn Around 2050 Burke Rd. Masontown, WV 26542 (304) 980-2005 Sal’s Garage 160 Cerullo Road Shinnston, WV 26431 Auto & Motorcycle Repair (304) 592-3227 (304) 844-7585

Wiskybilt It’s all about the ride. Custom crafted parts made in WV (304) 379-1214 www.wiskybilt.com

Shenandoah Harley-Davidson 213 Rolling Thunder Lane Staunton, VA 24401 (540) 213-7433 www.shenhd.com

DEALERS & SERVICE

Busted Knuckles Custom Cycles 406 West Race Street Martinsburg, WV 25401 (304) 260-0070 www.bustedknucklescycles.com Country Chrome Cycles – Trikes – ATVs Parts – Accessories – Repair 16435 Parkersburg Rd. Elizabeth, WV 26143 (304) 273-4986 www.countrychrome.com

Smitty’s Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha Rt. 33 E. Corridor H Buckhannon, WV 26201 (304) 472-4824 www.supersmittys.com Synful Cycle Service * Repair * Customizing 54 GM Access Road, Suite G Martinsburg, WV 25403 (304) 262-2400 Check us out on Facebook

JT Cycle & Hoodlum Motorcycle Garage Aftermarket & Custom Parts & Accessories 486 Ragland Road, Beckley, WV 25801 (304) 255-2468 www.jtcycleparts.com

The Twisted Spoke Custom Builds, Motorcycle & ATV Repair 97 Milford Street Clarksburg, WV 26301 (304) 326-HOGG (4644) www.thetwistedspoke.com

Leeson’s Import Motors Inc. 320 W Main St. Bridgeport, WV 26330 (304) 842-5469 (800) 760-4840 www.leesonsmotors.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES

M&J Motor Company Lehman Trike Conversions 1000 S. Queen Street Martinsburg, WV 25401 (304) 262-6200 www.mjtrikes.com Mercer County Choppers 4156 Coal Heritage Road Bluewell, WV 24701 (304) 589-6222 www.mercercountychoppers.com Morgantown Powersports 526 Mileground Road Morgantown, WV 26505 304-296-9055 www.morgantownpowersports.com R.G. Honda-Yamaha & Polaris 1619 Buckhannon Pike Nutter Fort, WV 26301 (304) 624-5420 (800) 734-3694 The Fun Starts Here!

Edward Jones Yvonne Williams, Financial Advisor 210 N. Main Street Moorefield, WV (304) 538-2811 [email protected]

HEALTH & BEAUTY

A Therapeutic Touch of Fairmont 210 East Park Avenue Fairmont, WV 26554 (304) 366-8711 EVERYBODY NEEDS A MASSAGE Meredith Hancock Independent Beauty Consultant www.marykay.com/mhancock78 (703) 965-1848 GET YOUR COLOR FIX!

INSURANCE

Mathias & Associates Insurance Farm – Home – Auto – Life - Health Motorcycle – Boat – RV Insurance and Retirement Planning (800) 628-3064 [email protected] continued on next page MAY 2011

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BIKER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY INSURANCE (continued)

Nationwide Insurance Cynthia A. Hinkle Agency 125 S. Main Street Moorefield, WV 26836 (304) 530-6225 [email protected] Call Cindy for a quote today!

Knobley Farm – Intersection Rt. 50 & Rt. 220 Best Ice Cream on the East Coast Liberty Gas, Diner, Under Armour Sporting Goods: Bows, Boots, Ammo, etc. (304) 788-6304 www.knobleyfarmsportshop.com

BACA - Bikers Against Child Abuse (Inwood, WV) A non-profit organization that exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. Hot Line (304) 839-7809 bacaworld.org Email: [email protected]

TATTOO STUDIOS

Calvary Riders Motorcycle Ministry Fishers of Men of Morgan County For more information email Larry at [email protected]

Pattys Art Spot Tattoo & Piercing Studio 3399 University Ave. Star City, WV (next to Crocketts) (304)-598-0190 www.PattysArtSpot.com

Rider Insurance Est. 1971 For a hassle free ride …Ride with Rider For a quick quote call (800) 595-6393 www.rider.com

LODGING & CAMPING

VEHICLE SERVICES

Snowshoe Mountain Resort 10 Snowshoe Drive Snowshoe, WV 26209 (877) 441-4386 www.snowshoemtn.com

Bob’s Tire Service Inc. 812 East Moler Avenue Martinsburg, WV 25401 (304) 267-2797 www.bobstireservice.net

River Bridge Retreat Your Personal Get-Away Moorefield, WV (304) 886-5100 www.RiverBridgeRetreat.com

Hot Rods Roll Back and Towing Specializing in Motorcycle Towing 274 Bedington Road Martinsburg, WV 25401 (304) 267-5586 Visa & MC Accepted

MOTORCYCLE PARTS

CycleMart Your Motorcycle Parts Store All Makes All Models 202 Elkins Street Fairmont, WV 26554 (304) 366-8119

Rainbow Tire 10422 Veterans Memorial Highway Masontown, WV 26542 304-854-3999 “Come See Us For Your Vehicle Rim And Tire Needs.”

Walneck’s Motorcycle Swap Meets & Shows Happening in KY & OH 7923 Janes Ave., Woodridge, IL. 60517 (630) 985-2097 www.walneckswap.com

B & B Appliance Repair Most Brands Serviced - 25 Years Experience (443) 605-6367 – Bill / Frederick County MD (443) 605-6368 – Brian / Jefferson County WV

PHOTOGRAPHY

Clubs & Organizations

Vetter Photo 1675 Cold Spring Road Moorefield, WV 26836 (304) 530-6855 www.vetterphoto.com

SELF DEFENSE

Dragon Cloud Dojo Mount Mission Community Center Rte. 9 and Mission Road Harpers Ferry, WV (304) 261-1609 Martial arts for any age

SPORTING GOODS

Doug’s Sport Shop New and Used Guns, Sporting Apparel, Aigner Products and Reloading Supplies 220 North Main Street; 743B Hawse Plaza Moorefield, WV 26836 (304) 538-6496

HOME SERVICES

American Legion Riders WV-014 (Martinsburg, WV) The ALR is a program of the American Legion. Veterans still serving...and riding. Meetings (Guests Welcome) are the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6:00pm at Post #14, 125 W. Race St. Martinsburg, WV. Post (304)-267-6100 Chapter Director (703)728-7849 Website: wvpost14riders.net Email: MartinsburgLegionRiders@gmail,com American Legion Riders Post #21 (Winchester, VA) Meeting on the second Wednesday of every month at 7:00pm at the American Legion 1730 Berryville Pike in Winchester, VA. Harry Stine (540) 667-4388 home (540) 247-9725 cell

50 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011

CBWV – Concerned Bikers of West Virginia (Fairmont, WV) For more information call Earl at (304) 366-6473 or (304) 816-2863 Email: [email protected] www.startouring485.webs.com

By Jim “Jammer” Marcum

Food for the Soul

I went to my pastor one day and told him that I wasn’t as close to the Lord as I use to be. I was expecting a long counseling session but he simply said, “Are you praying like you use to?” My answer was, “No.” He followed with, “Are you reading the bible as much as you use to?” Again, my answer was, “No.” He spoke three words that have stuck with me down through the years. He said, “There’s your problem!” Look at the bible as a big bowl of soup. If you eat a small portion you will soon be hungry again. If you eat until you’re full you will get nourishment and strength. As for myself, if I don’t study God’s Word daily, I eventually find myself on a spiritual diet. Some people add a little salt to their soup to make it taste better, but the bible says for no man to either add or take away from God’s Word. We must read the whole bible, not just the verses that make us feel good or suit our individual tastes. Sadly enough, some people never even get the soup bowl out of the cupboard! Are you hungry and weak? Are you actually to the point of starvation? The more you read the bible, the more you become fulfilled. The more of it you take in, the more His blessings pour out. The more you seek, the more you will find. St. Matthew 7:7-8. The guide to victorious living is contained with its pages. You shouldn’t wait for someone to force feed you. You must initiate your own soul searching, otherwise, our “flesh” will keep us from it. The scripture reads, “The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” St. Matthew 26:41. The time to begin is now! - Jammer

www.thunderroadswv.com

Jim “Jammer” Marcum resides in Charleston and has been involved in motorcycle ministry for nearly 15 years and serves as Clergy within Highways and Hedges Motorcycle Ministry.

MAY 2011

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52 Thunder Roads® West Virginia MAY 2011