Cycle Connections

January always brings the only motorcycle show that Atlanta sees all year and, although having attended for more than a few of these of the years, it’s always good to catch up with old friends in a motorcycle atmosphere and this year did and did not disappoint. With the usual Atlanta motorcycle dealers in attendance, the parade of new and unique bikes, custom builds, and street racers was good to see as always as well as a few unique street racers that were the epitome of attention to detail and with that, that’s about where the unique aspects wear off.

  Representatives from the "Ride for the Fallen 7 Foundation" presented officials from the Department of Safety and the Department of Transportation with a custom- made, wooden United States flag, etched with the names of the Fallen 7. The flag will be displayed permanently in the Incident planning and operations Center; a state building that houses agencies from both the Department of Safety and the Department of Transportation.

  On January the 23rd, 2020, the Ride for the Fallen 7 Foundation president, Brian DeSimone, made the presentation to Department of Safety Commissioner Robert Quinn, Department of Transportation Commissioner Victoria Sheehan, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Jennifer Harper, NH State Police Colonel Christopher Wagner, DOT Director of Operations David Rodrigue, and other State Agency Officials at the Incident Planning and Operations Center, in Concord, NH.

The day started out cool and sunny on the morning of August 31^st. One by one the bikes rolled in with a thunder and anticipation of a ride to help those who have left us. The bikes lined up in staggered formation until all you could see was chrome, rubber and patriotism. A total of 153 bikes were in attendance, some single riders, some double, ready to hit the pavement and get some “wind therapy”.

The Iron Warriors Motorcycle Club (IWMC) Beartooth chapter in Billings Montana held its 14th annual poker run on Saturday, August 24th with a turnout of about 60 motorcycles and a few classic cars. The poker run is in honor of fallen officer Kevin Unruh, a 25-year veteran of the Billings Police Department. Kevin served our community with great distinction but sadly lost his courageous battle with cancer in 2015, Kevin will forever be missed by our members and our community.

  On Saturday, August the 31st, 2019, rider's with the American Legion, Bikers Helping Hand Inc. and other veteran supporters, gathered at the American Legion Club, Post# 214 in Rossville, Georgia to ride and raise money to help combat the war against Veteran PTSD Suicide. They partnered with Mission 22 and Reboot Alliance to be the beneficiaries of all proceeds collected. Both organizations had representatives on hand to answer questions about their organizations and as to what they do to help our veterans.

’67 Triumph 500 tracker:  Ray Sterns’ knock-out beautiful 1967 Triumph T100 Tracker was voted best competition bike in the show.  Winners were all people’s choice on votes by those in attendance.

The British Biker Cooperative (BBC) www.britishbiker.net/ is headquartered in the ancestral home of Harley-Davidson, but it is Limey bikes they love above all others.

For 39 years, the BBC faithful have been having an annual Rally and Bike Show, but the past twenty in a row have been held at Blue River, Wisconsin’s spectacular Eagle Cave Resort www.eaglecave.net.

It’s no wonder—the Eagle Cave Resort is high on a ridge over the Lower Wisconsin River valley, smack-dab in the midst of some of the most beautiful, technical, well-paved back roads for cruising in the world. Small towns, friendly folks, and a well-run event combine to make the BBC Rally and Ride-in Show one event that many people look forward to every July. While the BBC requires that a person own a British-brand bike, the Rally and Bike Show welcome riders of any brand; even folks who don’t ride at all!

It may seem unusual for a Motorcycle Riding Club and Law Enforcement to join forces for the community good. But that is exactly what brought hundreds of people out to the 5^th Annual Jack Aces RC & Branham Accessories Bike & Car Show in Cullman, Alabama. Saturday, August 10^th was an extremely hot day at the Festhalle Farmers Market but that didn’t slow the crowds from showing up to view some spectacular custom bikes and antique cars and trucks. The cause for the day was Cullman Police Department Shop with A Cop. This Charity gives Christmas gifts to children who wouldn’t be able to have Christmas. On the day of the event (Shop with a Cop), officers and volunteers ride with kids to shop for Christmas gifts on their lists. The kids are then provided a delicious lunch. The entire experience builds the positive bond between Law Enforcement and the children.

We're on the road again, for a weekend trip, with great friends and family!  This time we took a trip on the bikes to Chattanooga, Tennessee where we visited the Tennessee Aquarium on Friday, July 5th.  There was so much to see there, including multiple types of fish (including piranha!), sharks, turtles, alligators, penguins and many more exciting things, but my favorites were the lemurs, the butterflies and the jellyfish.  We spent a lot of the afternoon there and afterwards, we had dinner at the Lakeshore Marina Grill, and the food was excellent! We ate on the water and watched the sun set.  You can't get much better than that!

   Being the avid motorcycle riders that we are, we are always looking for new places to ride. We have ridden all over Alabama and have seen so many interesting places, but we really have been looking to branch out and find some new and different places to visit. We had tossed around the idea about riding to Lynchburg, Tennessee to tour the Jack Daniel’s distillery for a while, but had never gotten around to it until this past weekend. So, our group of 8 riders and 4 motorcycles, met on Saturday, May 25^th at the Shell gas station off of Highway 79 in Pinson, and traveled up Hwy 79 North to 231 North. We followed 231 North though Blountsville, Arab, Huntsville and then onto Highway 431 North and followed it through Hazel Green, Alabama into Fayetteville, Tennessee. We then took State Rd 50 into Lynchburg, Tennessee, where we stopped into the Lynchburg Downtown Square, to stretch our legs and look around. Some of our group visited Lynchburg Harley-Davidson apparel shop, while others did a little shopping at the local stores in the square.

CULLMAN, Ala. – More than 120 bikes with more than 200 riders participated in A Ride to Honor the Fallen Saturday morning according to Derrick Barton, president of the Jack Aces Riding Club, which organized the ride. Proceeds from the ride will benefit the local nonprofit Saving Forgotten Warriors.