Thunder Roads WV JAN10 Issue

Happy New Year! 2010 is now upon us and what a great year this is already shaping up to be. Read on in this issue to learn more of the exciting news that Thunder Roads West Virginia is letting you all in on for your riding pleasure. I have to tell you that I am amazed everyday by the responses I am hearing from everyone about the magazine. I am so pumped to know that you feel the same way about motorcycling and motorcycling in this fine state we all live in as we do. There has been one question asked by some that I would like to pass on to all of you so you know what we are trying to do with this publication.

What is your mission? What exactly are your goals for the future of this magazine?

Well, that is a simple question when you think about it but trying to explain your feelings to another person is somewhat trickier than you would think so here we go.

Thunder Roads West Virginia is a magazine about anything and everything motorcycle related in the state of West Virginia. And I do

mean everything. From custom Harley-Davidsons and metric cruisers to sport bikes and dual sports, it doesn’t matter what you ride, just that you ride.

Gary and I want to strengthen the biking community in this fine state while helping local businesses grow and prosper. Face it, we are all just people. We own homes, we drive cars, and we have jobs just like everyone else. This magazine is a direct pipeline for the riding public to support fellow biker business owners and businesses that understand that bikers are a great group of people that are just that…people. So do your part to support the biking community by patronizing our advertisers. They’re “biker friendly” folks, and when you buy from them you help all of us prosper.

Thanks for joining us on our journey. You are as much a part of this adventure as we are so hang on tight. Here we go….

Ride safe and keep the shiny side up!

Donna

DragonTales

2 Thunder roads WesT Virginia JanuarY 2010

Copyright 2010. 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 advertisers 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.

Letter From The Editor…...................……..4

Stars-N-Stripes Biker Bash...……………...7

S-N-S Highlight: Defying Physics………..10

Bike of the Month…...................…………12

Dressing for the Crash - P art 2...................14

Center Calendar.……......................……...18

Say Cheese!...........................................…20

Skin Art…….....................………………….21

Hidden Highways - SH 16...........................22

C.E.’s Foliage Run…..................………….23

The Jokers Wild.................…...…………...24

Seats & Saddles...............…………………26

Winter on Two Wheels..................………..28

TNT...................….................………..........30

K.I.S.S……………......................................32

The High Road…...................……………..33

Tribute to Bill Scott.................…………….36

THuNDER RoADS WEST VIRgINIAP.O. Box 606 / Charles Town, WV 25414

www.thunderroadswv.com

oWNER / EDIToRSGary Westphalen, Editor-in-Chief

[email protected] / 304-616-0102Donna K. Westphalen, CFO / [email protected]

LAyouT & DESIgNBarbara Laszewski Garner / Thunder Publishing

AD LAyouTMeredith Hancock / Hancock Graphics

CoNTRIBuToRSCharles Coby, Ken Holby, James Irle, Jim “Jammer” Marcum, Moe Vetter

ADVERTISINg SALES / DISTRIBuTIoNNATIONAL ACCOuNTs

Donna K. Westphalen - 304-261-1609 / [email protected], MARION, TAyLOR

Earl Nuzum – 304-816-2863 / [email protected] WV

Greg Vernon 304-616-0249 / [email protected], GRANT, MINERAL, HAMPsHIRE, PENDLETON

Moe Vetter - 304-668-9563 / [email protected], BERKELEy, JEFFERsON

Dave Luksa - 304-268-1315 / [email protected], MONROE, suMMER, MCDOWELL

Curtis Humphreys - 276-620-8965 / [email protected] Griggs - 540-353-5695 / [email protected]

JEFFERsONHoward “Pops” Evans - 540-327-6588 / [email protected]

ON THE COVER

Thunder Roads West Virginia has planned your Fourth of July weekend for you! In this issue we are announcing sponsorship of a brand new motorcycle rally right here in the Mountain State. Our coverage begins on page 7.

NATIoNAL FouNDERSToni McCoy shearon & Brian shearon

PO Box 174 / Chapmansboro, TN 37035Office 615-792-0040 / Fax: 615-792-7580

email: [email protected]

JanuarY 2010 Thunder roads WesT Virginia 3www.thunderroadswv.com

The past month has been an amazing ride here at Thunder Roads West Virginia. We have experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We were one week away from our publishing deadline for this issue when the earth shook under our feet. Here we were, extremely excited because in this issue we are announcing sponsorship of a brand new motorcycle rally in West Virginia. We have huge, unique plans for this event. We were busy up to our eyeballs tying up as many details about the event as we could, in order to share our excitement with you.

The rally is to happen at the Summit Point Motorsports Park, a place that features three world class road racing circuits and over 700 acres of bike rally fun. The entire event was coming about because of the vision of Bill Scott, the man who owns the Summit Point facility. Mr. Scott told us that he wanted bikers to rally in support of our troops, our nation, our flag. He said he wanted Thunder Roads West Virginia to put on a world class motorcycle rally on the Fourth of July weekend, that would show everyone that bikers are one of the most patriotic groups anywhere. This isn’t to be just a motorcycle rally – it is to be a rally for America.

But on Monday, December 7 our world was rocked. Bill Scott died of cancer at the age of 71. The man who conceived the idea for this rally is gone. But this motorcycle rally was the last big plan he was making in a lifetime full of successful big plans. And we will carry on, asking ourselves at every turn, “What would Bill Scott do?”

This rally plan fits perfectly into the mission and goals of this magazine. Thunder Roads West Virginia isn’t just about printing a magazine every month. We want West Virginia’s motorcycle community to grow and prosper. From the largest dealer to the tiniest mom-and-pop establishment that likes bikers, we want them all to have a great 2010. We believe that when the biking community gets stronger, the whole state gets stronger.

Bill Scott believed that, too. But he took it even further.

He believed that if the entire biking community of the United States of America got stronger, the whole nation would benefit. That’s why he wanted us to create this rally.

So we’re calling upon you, the brothers and sisters in the family of motorcyclists, to come together in our support of this nation. We are going to use the Fourth of July weekend at Summit Point to tell our veterans, the families of the fallen, and especially those who seek to harm our nation, that we motorcyclists stand tall as American patriots.

Mark the dates on your 2010 calendar right now, and plan to stand shoulder to shoulder with Thunder Roads West Virginia as we say “Thank You” to everyone who has stood watch over this nation’s freedom. Bill Scott, a true American patriot, will be smiling down on us.

Gary


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.

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www.thunderroadswv.comIf you haven’t been there in a while, be sure to check out our website at www.thunderroadswv.com. There is a ton of new and exciting things to explore. For starters, check out the ever-changing online only features on the home page. Click a little deeper for online and downloadable versions of past issues.

If you want to see more pictures from the stories in those past issues, head to the photo section. Here you’ll be able to peruse more photos related to our stories than we have room for in the magazine. The Hidden Highways, Bikes of the Month, featured articles, stories of rides from all over the state…they’re all there.

The calendar of events is updated constantly. Here you’ll be able to learn details about upcoming motorcycle events in the Mountain state. If your club has an upcoming event, you can submit the information here so everyone will know about it.

Our advertisers are the ones who make it possible for us to bring this high quality magazine and website duo to you. From our website you can link to theirs to learn more about how they can make your motorcycling experiences even richer. Patronize them, and you make the magazine stronger.

The Thunder Roads family of owner/editors publishes state-specific magazines in two dozen other states as well. From www.thunderroadswv.com you can link to the websites of those other states to see what’s happening there.

We are continually working to make the magazine and website even stronger and better every day. If there are features you would like to see, hit the contact button and send us your ideas. Better yet, write

your own story and submit it along with accompanying pictures.

Get involved at www.thunderroadswv.com!


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BIKER BASHBIKER BASHA L L A M E R I C AA L L A M E R I C A

STARS -N- STRIPESSTARS -N- STRIPES

by Gary Westphalen

“When you leave my office, I want you walking on air!” The steely-blue eyes of a man who has spent a lifetime in racecar cockpits pierce clean through to my soul as he hands me the opportunity of a lifetime. When Bill scott, owner of the seven-hundred acre summit Point Motorsports Park, tells me that he wants to see Thunder Roads West Virginia sponsor a patriotic motorcycle rally on the weekend of our nation’s Independence Day, who am I to say “no”?

During this meeting, which takes place in his office on November 5, 2009, Bill scott makes it very clear that he is a patriot. He believes in the united states. He believes this nation has lost its way. And he believes that the fraternity of motorcyclists is one of the most patriotic collections of Americans to be found. Bill scott believes that bikers just might lead this nation out of its malaise.

so when this man, this brilliant tactician whose body has been attacked by the forces of time, says in halting speech caused by his illnesses that he wants Thunder Roads West Virginia to make this happen, and happen in a BIG way, I feel kind of like Moses talking to the burning bush. There is no refusing the offer.

As we leave his office I think to myself that “walking on air” is the understatement of the year. I think that it’s going to be a rewarding experience to work with this man. I think we have a tremendous amount of work to do in seven months time. I think about the amazing venue we have around which to build a one-of-a-kind motorcycle rally. I think about vendors. I think about bike parking. I think about fund-raising rides. I think about military displays. I think about color guards. I think

about bands. I think about a million things so quickly that my thinking is stepping all over my thinking. I’m thinking about so many things that I’m not even sure what I’m thinking about………The one thing I never think about, is the most important thought.

“I will never meet Mr. scott, again.”

Less than three weeks later, a phone call from one of our partners brings the news that William H. “Bill” scott has died of cancer. Instead of planning this rally with him, we are now planning this rally as a tribute to him...Bill scott, patriot. Although we only met him once, we have no doubt that he would want this show to go on.

so, here we go! The Thunder Roads West Virginia Stars-n-Stripes All America Biker Bash is scheduled for July 2 – 4, 2010! Now, I’ve been to many rallies and bike events of all sizes over the years. But I have never seen anything like the weekend of events we are planning for you. For starters, you will be able to come in the gates on Friday afternoon, spend all weekend without ever leaving the race park, and still not get to see or do everything we have planned. But you will want to leave the park, because we’ll be hosting several fund-raising rides, as well as other off-site activities. Oh, and you’re smack-dab in the middle of one of the most historic and scenic areas in the nation. you’re going to want to cruise around a little.

As you may have deduced by now (astute reader that you are), Stars-N-Stripes is going to take place at a race track. But not just any race track. This place at summit Point, West Virginia is home to three fantastic road racing circuits all in one place. There’s also a flat circuit that can be configured in endless ways using cones. This place will be an

continued on next page JanuarY 2010 Thunder roads WesT Virginia 7www.thunderroadswv.com


amusement park for bikers on the Fourth of July weekend. Here’s what we know is happening, what we think will be happening, and what we really, really hope we can make happen.

First of all, The Thunder Roads West Virginia Stars-N-Stripes All America Biker Bash will open the gates Friday afternoon on July 2. The party will end with a Fourth of July fireworks display on sunday, July 4. In between those two points on the cosmic grid, you’re going to have a blast! Let’s talk about all three racing circuits at summit Point, one at a time. It will help you see the big picture of this amazing weekend.

The summit Point Circuit is the original race track, opened in 1970. It’s a two mile long collection of ten turns that also includes a 2900 foot long home straight. A wicked fast track. For the Fourth of July, you’ll be able to witness Champion Cup series motorcycle racing all weekend long. CCs riders will be practicing and dialing their bikes in all day Friday. saturday is qualifying for the big race on sunday. How’s that for entertainment?

The next track built at the summit Point Motorsports Park was the Jefferson Circuit. Opened in 1996, the Jefferson is 1.12 miles. It’s designed mostly as a training course. It’s where the CCs riders will be testing and practicing when they can’t get on the summit Point Circuit. This should be a good place to watch them work their bikes.

Alongside the Jefferson is an unusual piece of concrete. It’s called a “triple skid pad”. Basically, it’s a huge flat piece of concrete that has some grass islands inset in it. From an aerial view it looks kind of like concrete crop circles. But on this pad, some very cool, hands-on things will be happening. Interested in sharpening your riding skills? How about spending some time getting professional coaching? From basic skills to competent accident avoidance techniques, you’ll go home a better rider. In the afternoon and evenings, this pad is configured into a go-cart track. strap yourself into the cockpit of a 60 mile per hour ground skimming monster and hang on! One thing is for sure. At some point you’re going to find yourself going backwards.

OK. I can’t hold on to it any longer. At the Thunder Roads West Virginia Stars-N-Stripes All America Biker Bash, you will have the chance to ride your very own motorcycle on the most intense race track of them all at summit Point Motorsports Park! The 2.2 mile shenandoah Circuit is a technically challenging road racing circuit with 22 turns. There are numerous crossovers built into the track, which means it can be configured many ways. In fact, the shenandoah circuit can be broken into two or even three separate race tracks altogether. It has only been open for 5 years, but has already been nicknamed on the racing circuits as “The Concrete Jungle”. This race track will serve as the main focal point of the stars-N-stripes Bash. Do you believe it, Brother? We’re going to get to ride our bikes…any bikes…on the shenandoah circuit!

While you take a break from the track, you can watch your buddies run the jungle even as you wander around the vendor area. The stage alongside vendor row is where a variety of biker friendly bands will be playing in the evenings. Opening and closing ceremonies as well as some competitions and awards will be presented here. Hey, it’s a stage.

you never know who might show up.

It’s early in the game, so we don’t have everything lined up just yet. But we do know that West Virginia native Gary Harding, Jr. is going to try to set a world record “endo”. If you can imagine what it’s like to go about 200 feet with your rear wheel in the air higher than your head, you have a good idea of what he’s looking to do. He’s putting the word out to other motorcycle stunters to come to the rally as well, and it will likely result in a very interesting stunt competition. For more about Gary Harding, see our Stars-N-Stripes Highlight feature called Defying Physics elsewhere in this issue.

A full-blown bike show will be another attraction at the Stars-N-Stripes All America Biker Bash. Bring your custom built, stock, vintage and one-of-a-kind bikes to the show, and compete for cash, trophies, and other prizes. show us what you got, West Virginia!

There will be other bike games and competitions as well, but the planning is too early to be able to write much about where we stand. Just know that there will never be a dull moment. Be sure to pick up a copy of Thunder Roads West Virginia each month between now and rally time. We’ll provide continuous updates and highlight stories both in the magazine and at our website at www.thunderroadswv.com.

Now, as I said earlier, the point of this weekend is to support those who have stood tall for The united states of America. To say “Thank you” to the brave men and women of all generations who have served in conflicts overseas in order to protect our freedoms at home. To remember those who didn’t come home, and the families they left behind, there will be several rides organized each day to raise funds for a variety of organizations dedicated to helping veterans and the families of the fallen. The charity rides are being organized by area motorcycle clubs in association with the Stars-N-Stripes Bash. The Red Knights West Virginia Chapter 7 has already accepted the challenge of organizing one of these rides. They are planning to donate proceeds from their ride to The Red Cross.

Oh, and I almost forgot…well, actually, I intended not to tell you this until now. With the purchase of your weekend pass, you are invited to camp on the summit Point Motorsports Park grounds all weekend absolutely FREE! The cost of admission is worth it just for that!

speaking of the cost of admission…we don’t know yet. But we are working hard to make sure it is reasonable, and that it includes as much of the activities as possible. There will be more information about registration in our February issue.

This is a rally of American patriots who ride. It doesn’t matter of you’re a Democrat or Republican. Harley or Honda. Cruiser or Crotch Rocket. The colors to wear this weekend are Red, White, and Blue. If you love America and bikes, there is no better place to celebrate the Nation’s Birthday than with Thunder Roads West Virginia at the Stars-N-Stripes All America Biker Bash.


Defying PhysicsBIKER BASHBIKER BASHA L L A M E R I C AA L L A M E R I C A

STARS -N- STRIPESSTARS -N- STRIPES

HighlightStarS-N-StripeS

Gary Harding, Jr. is a smart guy. smart enough to know that motorcycles have two wheels. yet, this West Virginia native just doesn’t seem to think it’s necessary to have both of those wheels on the ground at any given time. Gary, you see, is a stunt rider. At age 24 Gary Harding is still a young man. But his experience on motorcycles already spans 19 of those years. His first taste of motorcycles came at the tender age of five, when his dad gave him his first dirt bike as a birthday present. Five years later, he went professional.“I started racing full time when I was about ten years

old,” Harding tells Thunder Roads West Virginia. “My dad told me if I got top three at the Bud’s Creek Nationals, that he would buy me a brand new bike. I ended up getting second place in the race, and the rest is history. Got a new bike and started winning races and everything just kind of fell in place after that.” “Fell in place” is Gary’s way of saying that he won the 2003 AMA District 7 Amateur Championship (B Class), and in 2004 he finished second overall in both the 125 Expert (A Class) and the 4-stroke Expert (A Class).Gary Harding, Jr. felt this success capped his motocross career. There was, it seemed, nothing more to do on a dirt bike. Then one day some friends took him to a motorcycle stunt show. until that day, he didn’t even know such a thing existed. Gary left that event determined to do for stunting what he had done as a motocross rider. It was to him, “just another challenge.”Thunder Roads West Virginia is planning to present a motorcycle stunt competition at our Stars-N-Stripes All America Biker Bash on the Fourth of July weekend next summer. The weekend of stunting will include an attempt by Harding to set a world record for the longest officially recorded “endo”, a rear wheel in the air maneuver that usually results in a horrific crash for most bikers.“188 feet is the current record and Andy Bell, who is another professional motocross rider, has it now,” says Harding. “I did 208 feet last weekend, and ran out of room. My goal is I would like to beat him by a hundred feet. I want to set the bar high. I think he could have set it higher and he didn’t, and that’s the reason he’ll go down.”Gary says he’ll set the record using his 2008 Kawasaki KFX250 dirt bike. “It’s completely stock. you could buy it from the factory and do exactly what I’m doing on it now. That’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to show regular people that they could do extraordinary things on a regular bike.”Harding also does a variety of stunts on his street bike, a 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 600. He has made a few modifications to this one in order to harness its

180-mile-per-hour performance for stunting. “What I’m trying to do is take all that power and scrunch it down into just a little bit of useable power. so I can use all of the engine and everything that it has to offer. so I put a bigger sprocket on the back for torque, and I run a hand brake. I have a shortened clutch lever, which is an easy-pull one finger clutch that MsR makes. Then I have another master cylinder underneath that that works just the rear brake – its own specific caliper that works just the rear brake from the handlebars so I don’t have to have my feet on the pegs in order to work the brakes. I can still do over the handlebar tricks and stuff a lot easier without killing myself, you know.”Gary Harding’s attempt to set a world record endo will be part of the events that you’ll be able to watch at no extra cost when you attend the Thunder Roads West Virginia Star-N-Stripes All America Biker Bash next July fourth weekend. see you there!



When you stand six-foot-five, finding a bike you can ride comfortably is a BIG challenge. For Eddie Barker, a native of sutton, WV who now lives in Martinsburg, his search for a beast large enough to handle his size meant he had to go where they understand “BIG” - Texas. This 2006 Lone star Chopper was custom built for Eddie by American Iron Horse of Fort Worth.But Eddie was thinking even bigger than the folks at American Iron, when he had them swap out their standard s&s engine offering for the monstrous 124-inch version that boasts 115 horsepower from the factory. still not big enough, Eddie augmented the motor’s breathing ability with an Arlen Ness air cleaner, super G carburetion and wicked Martin Brothers “Medustas” pipes. All that raw power is harnessed through a three inch belt and Baker “King Kong” Hydra Clutch into a Roadmax six-speed gearbox.And the “BIG” doesn’t stop there. Eddie next attacked the front suspension by replacing the stock fork with an American suspension “Dragon slayer” springer with 42 degrees of rake. This gives the bike a wheelbase of 110 inches – the same as a Jeep Grand Cherokee! Eddie says that turning around in a cul-de-sac is a curb-to-curb experience. He’s got to be careful when he does this because he wouldn’t want to scratch those sick “Dragger” wheels from RC Components.The paint is House of Kolors Candy “Blood”. Chrome doodads from Headwinds, Arlen Ness, Dakota Digital and Big Ed round out the shiny parts. There’s also a touch of skull motif apparent on Eddie’s bike. you’ll spot them on the suicide shift, choke knob and seat.speaking of the seat, Eddie picked up that handsome piece of leatherwork at a swap meet. It’s gorgeous, but not comfortable for long days in the saddle. When he’s chewing up the miles on this chopper, Eddie swaps it out with the original seat that’s only slightly more padded.And he does eat a lot of miles. Eddie says most people are surprised by how far he’s willing to ride on this rigid framed bike. He’s had it to sturgis twice. He did trailer it there once, but the other time he rode all the way from West Virginia to sturgis and back. He’s also gone to Niagara Falls. Eddie has flogged this horse more than ten-thousand miles already, and he’s not stopping there. Look closely the next time you see a monstrous chopper headed your way. If you see it piloted by a big guy with an even bigger smile on his face, you’ve just met Eddie Barker.

Barker’s Beast


BIKE OF THE MONTH


The Series

Last month I told you about a time when I suddenly found myself crashing. I’ll briefly recap the situation. An ill-advised left turn taken by an oncoming cage in front of three cages traveling in the same direction as me resulted in one of those cages swerving dangerously close to my left side. Even as I was in heavy braking to avoid hitting the cage in front of me, I was forced to also avoid the one coming at me from the side. I was able to avoid contact, but the combination of steering and braking inputs either exceeded my ability to control the bike, or the bike’s ability to accept the commands.

As I slid to a stop on my left side, I knew this would be counted as a bad day. As I told you in last month’s installment, my full coverage helmet kept the noggin intact. A lesser helmet would have given me the opportunity to experience facial skin grafting. so far, so good. But let’s move down to the next piece of safety equipment I was wearing. Here’s where the story twists.

The Jacket

Although this crash happened more than eight years ago, I often still wear the leather motorcycle jacket I had on that day. It’s a weighty piece of leather, with extra patches sewn onto strategic places. It has a heavy duty brass zipper and a couple of zippable vents. In all, a high quality jacket designed specifically for bikers.

The left shoulder and arm of my jacket handled the abrasion of sliding down the street in stride. No problems there. But where this jacket failed me was in absorbing the shock of hitting the pavement in the first place. There is no additional armor in the shoulder, beyond the thickness of the leather and the slight bit of padding provided by the liner. It wasn’t until I stood up and attempted to pick up my bike that I realized my left arm wasn’t working. Most of the impact with the pavement had been absorbed by the bone structure of my shoulder. The collarbone, being the weak link, snapped like a twig. In two places.

Before I go any further, I have to recount another crash. It was a similar impact with the pavement

Crash Part tWOby Gary Westphalen


while wearing an entirely different style of jacket. This time I was in a textile motorcycle jacket, complete with armored shoulders, elbows, and back. While stopped at a traffic light, I was rear-ended by an idiot in a cage. The impact caused my bike’s front end to rear up like a stallion and slam into the trunk lid of the car ahead of me. This caused the front end to bounce even higher in the air. At this point, gravity took over and my steed and I hit the pavement hard on our right sides. It was enough to do about $7,000 damage to the bike. I was uninjured even though my shoulder hit the tarmac at least as hard as it had in the previous crash, if not harder.

Obviously, it isn’t possible to draw scientifically accurate comparisons between these two crashes because they were not conducted under controlled conditions. But having been the crash test dummy inside both of these jackets, I am quite certain that the armor in this second jacket saved me from having a matching set of collar bone breaks.

Does this mean that I believe textile armored jackets are superior to leather? No, not at all. But in this instance the armored textile jacket performed better. Leather would probably perform best in a crash that involved a lot more sliding on the pavement. And judging from the results of the Thunder Roads West Virginia safety Gear survey, most of you are as conflicted about motorcycle jackets as I am. Of the respondents so far, 32% say they usually wear a leather motorcycle jacket when the weather is nice. 11% wear textile motorcycle jackets, and about 10% wear a jacket that is not specifically designed for bikers. The remaining 46% say they wear no jacket at all, leaving most of their vital organs, especially skin, essentially unprotected.

Almost every respondent who discards the protection of a jacket said they make this choice because jackets are too hot. There’s no denying that a black leather jacket on a hot summer day is an oven. Most textile jackets are as well. since they are generally waterproof, it means they are nearly air-proof as well. unless a jacket has a terrific system of vents, you can measure human roasting times in mere minutes. But there are choices on the textile racks at your local shop that face the heat problem head-on. Mesh jackets, marketed by virtually every jacket brand, can be very comfortable on a hot day. I find that my mesh jacket actually keeps me cooler than riding without a jacket. It keeps the sun off my skin while allowing as much airflow as if I were wearing nothing more than a t-shirt. For me, the added benefit of sporting hard shell armor on the shoulders and elbows makes the mesh my jacket of choice for everything over 70 degrees.

But this series of stories is all about choice. My choice is mine, yours is yours. so, regardless of which type of jacket you chose, here’s how to make a wise choice.

Leather

There’s a laundry list of reasons that the leather jacket has been a biker’s best friend since the dawn of the motorcycle. It provides great protection from wind, cold temperatures, and the abrasion of sliding down the highway in a crash. But just because a jacket is made of leather doesn’t mean that it will make a great motorcycle jacket. Most leather garments sold at retail clothing stores may be fashionable, but they are useless as a motorcycle jacket. skip the mall stores, and head to your favorite bike accessories shop. A good bike jacket is made of leather at least a millimeter thick and has an extra layer of hide at critical points like elbows.

The thickness of a good leather jacket also hinders movement. That’s why high quality bike jackets have articulated or pre-curved sleeves to compensate for their rigidity. Good sleeves also taper towards the end to keep them from flopping in the breeze. They should have a zipper at the end of the sleeve to make sure they close snugly around your wrist.

Pay attention to the neckline of that leather jacket you are considering. Mine has a short mandarin-style collar that looks and feels great as long as I’m not moving. But when I get in the wind, the snap at the center of the collar pushes against my neck with so much force that it actually chokes me. I have learned that I have to wear a bandana under the snap to keep

it off my throat. Collars with flaps that snap down to the side of the neck tend to be more comfortable.

There are some very expensive leather jackets that claim to be waterproof. I can’t attest to that, but I do know that most leather jackets get very heavy when they are wet, and can take a day or more to dry out. In questionable weather, leave the leathers at home or have a very good rain suit to put over them.

A removable liner is also a must have for leathers. It extends the acceptable temperature range dramatically. Look for a good quality insulator like Thinsulate® or a similar brand. The liner should zip or snap into place around the torso and at the ends of the arms. If you like to ride in cold weather it’s a good idea to buy a jacket that’s large enough to accommodate a sweatshirt or heated vest.

Textile

Of the respondents to our survey, little more than ten percent say they prefer a textile motorcycle jacket. Personally, I find this perplexing because there is a wide array of fabric jackets that are comfortable, wind and water proof, very well ventilated and, best of all, heavily armored. They may not exude the macho styling of leather, but they are a whole lot more versatile.

continued on page 17 JanuarY 2010 Thunder roads WesT Virginia 15www.thunderroadswv.com

One of the greatest advantages of textile motorcycle jackets is their ability to sport CE armor pads that are tucked into pockets in strategic areas. With armored elbows, shoulders and back, you stand a far greater chance of surviving impacts. Most textile jackets also have removable liners and generally have even more venting options than leathers. Of course, don’t forget the fact that most are also waterproof which eliminates the need to carry extra rain gear.

One of the big knocks against textile jackets is that they are hot. It’s true that they can feel like a portable sweat box on a hot day. But the advent of the mesh jacket has eliminated this concern. The open weave of a mesh jacket makes them extremely comfortable on hot days. I find that since the mesh protects my skin from direct contact with the suns rays, it is actually cooler than wearing no jacket as I tear, um, tool down the byways. On the hottest of days I even pour some water on my mesh jacket at stops. The evaporation of this water while riding provides a wonderful cooling effect.

so here’s what to look for when you shop for a textile jacket. First of all, be sure that it is waterproof. Even many mesh jackets have removable waterproof liners. The front closure system should have flaps that seal securely over the top of the zipper. This is a good place for hook and loop fastening, but in my experience, stay away from sleeves that use a hook-and-loop fastening system at the end. This stuff works nice for a couple of weeks. But just about the time you get your jacket broken in, the hook-and-loop strips will give up the ghost. I have a jacket that is perfect in every way, except for the straps that cinch down the ends of the sleeves. They are supposed to stay secure with hook and loop patches, but it’s a joke. They invariably let loose within minutes of being cinched down. Zippers or snaps are the only secure ways to close the sleeve ends.

Improving your visibility on the highway is another area where textile jackets excel. Most leathers are black and rarely have any reflective surfaces. Textile jackets at least have reflective piping around the seams and usually even more than that. This added visibility is not a bad thing.

Au Naturel

Nearly half of the respondents to the Thunder Roads West Virginia survey say they prefer to wear no jacket at all when riding their motorcycle. It’s clearly a real choice, but one that comes with major safety trade-offs. unprotected riders leave themselves open to threats ranging from sunburn to skin grafting. Bare human flesh brought into sliding contact with pavement never fares well.

A high quality jacket designed specifically for motorcyclists is the second most important piece of safety gear choice you make, next to the helmet. Choose wisely.

In the February issue of Thunder Roads West Virginia, we’ll round out this tour of motorcycle safety gear. In addition to a story looking at pants, gloves and boots, we’ll publish the final tally of answers to our Safety Gear Survey, which closed at the end of December.

S. J. Angotti (1924-1987) • David J. Straface • John R. Angotti

292-LAWYER(304.292.4381)

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CALL NOW FOR FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION AT OUR OFFICE ...OR WE’LL COME TO YOU.


Publishing a biker rag is a tough business. Take this one particular day in early October, for instance. After securing my first cup of coffee, I drifted (stumbled?) into the office, and flipped on the computer. This was calendar day. The first thing I had to do was sort through a collection of pictures that photographer James Irle had sent me. Pictures of girls. Pictures of bikes. Pictures of bikes and girls. Let’s see, does this girl have what it takes to be the calendar girl for next month? Would that girl look good with this bike? How do we get the green bike, the blonde girl, and James all in the same place at the same time to make calendar magic? Like I said, a rough life.But those pictures are for the next month’s shoot, and I don’t have all day to get

through this process. This afternoon Donna and I are meeting up with James at a shop where we can get two very cool bikes and two girls. Two calendar shoots in one day. That’s a lot to get done, but James has worked with these girls before, so things should go well.The shoot is at Tommy sullivan’s place, TRs Fabrication, just outside Berkeley springs. Both are bikes that Tommy painted, and one of them comes with a matching pick-up truck. As Donna and I roll up, James is already looking over wardrobe choices for Ayden and Precious. Ayden’s dark features and Precious’ blonde coloring call for very different wardrobe choices. Whoah. Not my territory. It’s a good thing Donna is along. so as Tommy, James and I work on getting the bikes positioned just right, Donna and the Girls head inside to finalize wardrobe and make-up. Before long, Donna is bonding with Precious’ daughter as James, Ayden and Precious are doing their thing while the rest of us stand back. Okay, not quite. Everyone stood back except me. I couldn’t resist the temptation to give you this little behind the scenes look at the making of our November, 2009 and January, 2010 calendars.

SAY CHEESE!


SKINART


There are three kinds of roads in the state of West Virginia. some highways are bold. They zigzag wildly up one side of a mountain, dance on the crest for a moment or two, and rip back and forth down the other side.some highways are sneaky. They hug the bottom of a mountain, waiting like a coiled snake for their chance to strike. And when you least expect it they make a hard turn uphill, charging over the rising turf before you realize what’s happening.Then there are the crafty roads. They take the path of least resistance to get where they are going. Instead of blazing their own trail over a mountainous obstruction, they follow in the footsteps of those who came before. usually, that means they patiently hang along the banks of a river that has already carved the path between mountains. Rather than challenging the big rocks, these roads chose the paths of least resistance. They simply go around impediments.

Hidden HighwaysState Highway 16

state Highway 16 is not only one of those crafty roads…it wrote the book. Look at a map of Clay County, in West-Central West Virginia. slicing up the middle of this roughly diamond-shaped county, you’ll see a road that looks like someone dropped a soft spaghetti noodle on the map. That wriggling, twisted line does its best to represent Highway 16.16 actually starts somewhere in Virginia and runs north, all the way through our state. I’ll ride the whole road someday, but on this day, I jumped on at Belva. It’s that Clay county squiggle that I’m interested in. The squiggle doesn’t disappoint. These aren’t vertigo-inducing switchbacks one usually encounters when going up and over a mountain pass. They’re the kind of twisties generated by the Elk River we’re following between the mountains. In places the river becomes so meandering that the road nearly doubles back on itself. If you ride with a good sized group you just might see the tail end of it on the stretch of road you covered a minute or so ago.

This is a fun road that slices through some pristine West Virginia countryside. The road runs close enough to the river that you can catch numerous glimpses of the beautiful waterway. Traffic is light and the road is in fine condition. This is a good road for riders of any experience level. The only scary point on my run came when I stopped at the end of the bridge in the county seat of Clay, and looked at the structure beneath its rough surfacing. yikes! I wouldn’t want to drive over that bridge in a heavy truck.Although the road runs due North all the way to the state line at saint Mary’s, I ended my run on state Highway 16 at the I-79 interchange, about 40 miles Northeast of Charleston. That’s about a fifty mile stretch of grin-inducing byway. I’ll be back for more.


The intense colors draped across the mountains of the Potomac Highlands make fall one of the best times of the year to be a biker in West Virginia. The only problem is that the fall colors season is extremely short. Peak colors usually hit for only a few days and can be taken down without notice by something as simple as a rainstorm or a windy day. But the C.E.’s Helping Hands m/c is helping us extend the fall colors season for you with these pictures from their October run.The route for this ride encompasses some of the most luxurious scenery this amazing state has to offer. From Moorefield, they headed south on 220 to Petersburg where the run jumped onto Highway 28 bound for seneca Rocks. Heading west on Route 33 to Elkins, the riders and their bikes rolled up the sides of mountains that soar to well over four-thousand feet at their summits.

From Elkins they headed south on Highway 250, and went to prison. Well, only to the gates of the Huttonsville Correctional Center. After a short break the group saddled up – no one was left behind at HCC – and headed southeast on awesome Route 250 through the heart of the Monongahela National Forest. At Bartow, they jumped back on 28 and headed north to Judy Gap. From there Route 33 east goes up and over a fantastic mountain pass with unrivaled views to the north and west of an entire valley blanketed with patterns of colors that only nature can create.The group picked up riders as it went along, and at Judy Gap the group disbursed into smaller rides and made their way back to their own starting points. Thanks go out to the C.E.’s for sharing this beautiful day with us.

C.E.’s Foliage RunPhotos by Charles Coby


I was down in southern Louisiana and an old man was sitting on his porch early one morning when he looks out and sees a young boy walking along the road carrying a roll of chicken wire.The old man yells out at him, “Hey boy, whatcha got there.”The boy yells back at him, “Its chicken wire.”The man asks, “Whatcha goin’ to do with that.”The boy replies, “I’m going to catch me some chickens.”The old man just shakes his head and mutters, “Damn fool, you can’t catch chickens with chicken wire.” Late that evening about sunset the old man looks out and sees the boy walking back stringing the chicken wire behind him with about 10-12 chickens caught up in it.Early the next morning the old man is back on his porch again and he sees the same boy walking up the road with a roll of tape under his arm.The old man yells out at him, “Hey boy, whatcha got there.”The boy yells back at him, “Its duck tape.”The man asks, “Whatcha goin’ to do with that.”The boy replies, “I’m going to catch me some ducks.”The old man shakes his head again and mutters, “Damn fool, you can’t catch ducks with duck tape.”Late that evening the old man looks out and sees the boy walking back up along the road with the duck tape strung out behind him dragging about a dozen ducks along with him.The next morning the old man is back on the porch and this time he sees the boy walking up the road carrying a long reed with a thistle on the end.The old man yells out at him, “Hey boy, whatcha got there.”The boy replies, “It’s a pussy willow.”The old man stands up, and says “Hold up there now, lemme’ get my hat.”

A little boy was sitting on the curb with a gallon of turpentine and shaking it up and watching all thebubbles. A little while later a Priest came along and asked the little boy what he had.The little boy replied, “This is the most powerful liquid in the world, it’s called turpentine.”The Priest said, “No, the most powerful liquid in the world is Holy Water. If you take some of this HolyWater and rub it on a pregnant women’s belly, she’ll pass a healthy baby.The little boy replied, “Oh yeah, well, you take some of this here turpentine and rub it on a cat’s ass and he’ll pass a Harley-Davidson.”

A few questions going into 2010 ? ? ? ? Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They’re both dogs!

Who was the first person to say, “See that chicken there? I’m gonna eat the next thing that comes outta it’s ass.”Do illiterate people wonder about the funny shapes in their Alphabet Soup?Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don’t point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is?If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that Acme Co. crap, why didn’t he just buy dinner for himself at a 5-star restaurant?Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed, only to sit down in front of you and see all you got to see in plain view, when they return to the room?If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?

A man suffered a serious heart attack and had open heart bypass surgery. He awakened from the surgery tofind himself with a “Nurse Ratchet” type of woman standing in front of him with her clipboard. As he was coming out of his fog, the irritated looking nurse proceeded to ask him billing questions, regarding how he expected to pay for his treatment. She asked if he had health insurance.He replied, in a raspy voice, “No health insurance.”She then asked if he had money in the bank.He replied, “No money in the bank.”The nurse asked, “Do you have a relative who could help you?”He said, “I only have a spinster sister, who is a nun.”The nurse became agitated and announced loudly, “Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God.”The patient replied, “Good, send the bill to my brother-in-law.”

A guy out on the golf course takes a high-speed ball right in the crotch. Writhing in agony, he falls to the ground. As soon as he could manage, he took himself to the doctor. He said “How bad is it doc?.....I’m going on my honeymoon next week and my fiancée is still a virgin in every way.” The doctor told him, “I’ll have to put your “willie” in a splint to let it heal and keep it straight. It should be okay in about a week.” He took four tongue depressors and formed a neat little 4 sided splint, and wired it all together; ..an impressive work of art. The guy mentions none of this to his girl, marries her, and goes on their honeymoon. That night in the motel room, she rips open her blouse to reveal her beautiful, huge, round breasts. This was the first time he had seen them. She huskily proclaims, “You’re the first; no one has EVER touched these breasts.” He immediately drops his pants and exuberantly proclaims. “Look at this…...it’s still in the CRATE!”



Seats & SADDLES


ADJUST YOUR RIDING STYLEEven when you and your bike are ready to make that mid-winter jaunt, there are still some issues you need to keep in mind as you head out on the highway. One of the most annoying aspects of winter riding is the continual fogging of your face shield. Wrapping your head and neck in warm gear usually means there is a decreased flow of air through your helmet. Couple that with the fact that there is warm, moist air being exhaled inside the shield and cold air on the outside and you have the per-fect recipe for millions of microscopic droplets of water to condense on the inside of your face shield – you’re fogged. some full face helmets have a breath deflector mounted atop the chin bar to push that moist air down and away from the shield. A couple of brands of face shields claim to be designed to combat fog, and the ones we’ve tried do seem to work fairly well. There are commercial anti-fog solutions available. Rubbing a thin layer of soap film inside the shield also helps. If you en-counter a fogging issue while on the road and none of these options are available, cracking the shield open a hair should clear up the problem, but be prepared for cold wind blast on your face.

It’s a ritual I maintain every New year’s Day. I must ride. I fire up the bike, and hit the road in celebration of the year ahead. I have participated in several New year’s Day “Polar Bear” rides. In reality, this first ride of the year is usually not a very long one. It has been as short as going to the end of the driveway and back.I don’t install studs in my tires, so I’m limited to dry road conditions. I never ride when the possibility of snow- or ice-covered roads exist. Even with this self-im-posed restriction, it’s possible to squeak out a few rides most months of the year. But it’s not as simple as throwing on an extra layer and hitting the road. There are special preparations for both you and your bike.

PREPARE YOUR BIKEThe first step in prepping a bike for winter riding is to install a windshield. Many bikers always ride with a windshield, so it’s not an issue for them. But I seem to be allergic to windshields. I just don’t like them. However, when those cold blasts of arctic air come rolling down the mountainsides, I find my opinion changes.Bikes generally require a less viscous oil in the cold temps, so an oil change might be in order. Check your manual or ask your mechanic. If your bike is liquid cooled you need to be certain that the antifreeze is up to the job. Have it tested if you haven’t changed it within the past year.Cold weather puts additional strain on every part of your bike, so be sure to inspect all the working parts regularly to be sure everything is in top condition. That includes the battery, tires, belt or chain, cables and lights. speaking of tires, check the pres-sure often in winter.

PREPARE YOURSELFKnow the weather forecast. Even though they don’t always get it right, every bit of knowledge you can arm yourself with is a good thing. Wind is your enemy when riding in winter. Exposed skin at highway speeds can lead to hypothermia in no time at all. you need to do everything you can to keep sealed up against it. Full face helmets, neck and face masks, and gauntlet gloves are all critical gear to keeping frostbite away from your precious skin cells.Many riders pile on layer after layer of warm clothing. But multiple layers can restrict your ability to move, making control of your bike just that much more difficult. This is a passive form of keeping warm that works for only so long. Another option is active heating in the form of electric clothing. Electric gear is much thinner than mul-tiple layers and generates plenty of welcome warmth. It dramatically extends your comfort zone and riding distances. For more information about electric motorcycle clothing and how to install it on your bike, see our story in the November ’09 issue of Thunder Roads West Virginia. No matter how you chose to stay warm, be aware that you are still breathing cold air in and exhaling your body’s warmth. you will eventually start feeling cold. This is where things can get dangerous. As you get cold you lose situational awareness, reaction time, and physical skill. It’s a good idea to keep constant tabs on your abil-ity level and know when to stop for a warm-up. Even this is tricky because you may begin to sweat under all those layers of clothing. Then when you go back out on the bike, that sweat will begin to do its job of cooling you off just when you don’t want it to. strip off a few layers while you’re inside.

Winter on Two Wheels


Plan shorter trips. you might be perfectly comfortable riding hundreds of miles a day in summer. But with the elements of cold weather and bulky clothing working against your stamina in winter, a fifty mile road trip may be all you can safely accomplish. shorter runs also help you guard against getting caught by unexpected bad weather. Hey, at least you’re out there.Now let’s talk tires. If you’re just a bit crazier than me, you can get studded motorcycle tires which will allow you to ride under almost any road conditions. But even I don’t log enough miles in winter to make such a purchase necessary. With regular street tires, you’re basically restricted to days when the roads are clear. Bear in mind, though, that your mo-torcycle will behave differently in winter, even on a clear road. your tires generate traction when the rubber gets warm and soft. The warmer the road surface, the better your tires will adhere. you simply won’t have the same traction you are used to on summer roads. slow down and take the corners quite a bit easier than you normally would.sand and other “treatments” that have been laid on the roadway during previous snow-storms are an added hazard. For a biker, this stuff can be as treacherous as ice. Ride squarely in the tire tracks of the cages that came before you.An extra level of awareness of the cars around you is essential. As much as they don’t pay attention to bikers in summer, they certainly don’t expect to see you in winter. Assume that every cage on the road is oblivious to your existence and will do something stupid that endangers your life.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILSEven on a clear day you might find yourself confronting unwanted patches of snow or ice. Roads that go through forests or around the north side of a mountain may not receive the melting benefits of direct sunshine. If you come across a patch of ice, don’t panic. Keep your hands “soft” on the bars and ride it out. Go straight across without braking or ac-celerating, and the gyroscopic effect of your spinning wheels will likely keep you on track.Finally, if you do get caught in a snowstorm, slow down and be calm and smooth with your control inputs to the bike. Getting home safe and sound is more important than getting home quickly.


TNT



TO ALL OUR BRAVE, PROUD TROOPS... YOU’RE IN OUR THOUGHTS & PRAYERS DAILY. God Speed You Home.

THUNDER BALLS ....... 2010 PARTY STYLE1 - 14oz. Can Jellied Cranberry sauce1 - 12oz. Bottle Heinz Chili sauce1 - 2 Pound Bag of Frozen, Cocktail-size MeatballsCombine sauces in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Add meatballs. Cover and cook for 15 mins. or until meatballs are heated through. you can also make these in a crock-pot: Place meatballs in pot, combine sauces and pour over top, cook 4 hours on High, then switch to Low or Warm. These taste fantastic! and are great on a bun with melted cheese also.

HUNGARIAN-STYLE CHILI w/POLENTA compliments of: Rachel Ray website - Perfect for a Cold or Rainy Day

2 Tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil2 Pounds Coarse Ground sirloin 1 Red Chili Pepper; seeded & Finely Chopped1 Red Bell Pepper; Chopped1 Large Onion; Chopped4 Cloves Garlic; Finely Choppedsalt & Pepper to Taste1-1/2 Tbls. Chili Powder1-1/2 Tbls. smoked sweet Paprika1 tsp. Dried Marjoram or Oregano1/4 Cup Tomato Paste 1 Quart Beef stock1-1/2 Cups Chicken stock1-1/2 Cups Whole Milk1 Cup Quick-Cooking Polenta2 Tbls. Butter1 Cup shredded smoked Gouda Cheese1 Cup sour CreamFinely Chopped Fresh Dill, Parsley & Chives for Garnish. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown, apprx. 8 mins. Add the hot pepper, bell pepper, onion & garlic and season with salt & pepper. Cook to soften the vegetables, 8 mins. more. stir in the chili powder, sweet paprika and oregano, Add the tomato paste to pot and stir all to combine, 1 minute. Add the stock to the pot and bring the chili to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes more. In a separate pot, bring the chicken stock and milk to a boil; whisk in the

polenta and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened, but not too thick. stir in the butter and cheese and season with salt & pepper. To serve; fill large, shallow bowls with polenta, making a well in the center. Fill up the well with delicious, hot chili. Mix your finely chopped fresh dill, parsley & chives into your sour cream and add a big fat dollop of this on top of your chili to melt down into it. serve w/ hot, crusty bread and honey butter. OMG! This is killer!

BELOW ARE VARIOUS STYLES OF SPREADS TO JAZZ IT UP FOR 2010!

CRANBERRY MUSTARDstir together 1 Cup or 1 Can of Whole Berry Cranberry sauce, 1/3 Cup of Dijon Mustard and 1/4 tsp. Dried Crushed Red Pepper.*Great served on New year’s leftover ham sandwiches with White Cheddar Cheese.

CREOLE APPLE BUTTER MUSTARDstir together 1 Cup of Apple Butter (in Peanut Butter & Jelly section of grocer’s), 1/4 Cup Creole Mustard.*Great served over pan-fried pork chops.

LEMON-ROSEMARY MAYOstir together 2 Cups Mayonnaise, 2 Tbls. Chopped Fresh Rosemary, 1-1/2 Tbl. Lemon Zest and 1 Garlic Clove; Minced. * serve on Roast Turkey sandwiches.

CRANBERRY CREAM CHEESE SPREADstir together 1 Pkg. softened Cream Cheese, 2/3 Cup sweetened Dried Cranberries, 1/3 Cup Orange Marmalade and 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Walnuts. Chill at least 3 hours.* Great on Ciabatta Bread or English Muffin, as it seeps down into all the nooks & crannies. Add turkey, lettuce & tomato and you’ve got it made.

Happy New Year!


I hope that 2009 was a prosperous year for you and has left you with many great accomplishments and fond memories. As we progress through 2010 I’m sure there’s going to be some difficult times and every day won’t go as smoothly as a fresh coat of wax on your bike, but guess what?….even in those times we have the promise that God is always in control and will supply our every need. Therefore, we should rejoice in the good times and the bad. We should keep in mind the following scripture, “This is the day that the Lord hath made, I shall rejoice and be glad in it.” Our attitude and outlook as we face each day can have either a positive or negative effect on the final outcome of the entire year.We should be thankful every day for the Bible says, “In all things give thanks.” What New year’s resolutions have you made? What goals have you set for this year? Maybe a better paying job, maybe overcoming a habit or just simply wanting to increase your faith and trust in the Lord. As it is said, “We have not because we ask not.” The Bible says, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them.” Let’s move into this new year with the hope and expectations that it’s going to be a great year! As a matter of fact, I’m sincerely praying for each and everyone of you that God will make this year more prosperous than the last, that He will continually pour His blessings out upon you throughout the year and that He places a hedge of protection upon you, your family and your loved ones. Be blessed and be a blessing!

By Jim “Jammer” Marcum

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.


Nan & Pops Place3485 Winchester AvenueMartinsburg, WV 25405

(304) 267-2007www.nanandpopsplace.com

Road Hogs saloon415 Clayton street

Rivesville, WV 26588

steve’s Broken spoke Bar & Grill14977 sR 55

Needmore, WV 26801(304) 897-7706

Email: [email protected]

stray Dawg saloon & GrillRoute 9

Hedgesville, WV(304) 754-3361

BIKER ACCESSORIES, APPAREL, LEATHERS & GIFTS

Anthony’s specialtyBiker Apparel – Leather – H-D Boots & More

112 Davis AvenueGlen Lyn, VA 24093

(540) 726-3080

DFM special Tee House “The Biker shack”Helmets – shirts – Chaps - Jewelry

162 Nancy Jack RoadGerrardstown, WV 25420

(304) 229-7609Email: [email protected]

East View Variety shopWe have everything from A – Z, Old and New

715 Philippi PikeEast View, WV 26301

(304) 622-6710

Evel speed Custom Machine & Motor sick’l shop

Full Line of Accessories – Ride in style7323 Winchester Avenue

Inwood, WV 25428(304) 229-0987

www.evelspeed.net

ATTORNEYSAngotti & straface, L.C.

274 spruce streetMorgantown, WV 26505

(304) 292-4381www.angottistrafacelaw.com

Colombo & stuhr, PLLC.1054 Maple Drive

Morgantown, WV 26505(304) 599-4229

www.colombostuhr.com

BARS & RESTAURANTS3rd Base sports Bar & Grill

22 Virginia Avenue; us Rt. 220up from the stop light

Petersburg, WV 26847(304) 257-2273


Bee Hive Tavern463 Morgantown AvenueMorgantown, WV 26554

(304) 282-8196One block from Thinkin Ink Tattoo

Dakota TavernRoute 19 North of Fairmont

(304) 288-4893Friendly Atmosphere and Good Food

Est. 1964

Iron Horse Bar & GrillHC 84 Box 33 (Cutoff Road)

Keyser, WV 26726(304) 788-7533

Longshots Billiards76 Wolfcraft Way

Charles Town, WV 25414(304) 724-1975

www.longshotsbilliards.com

Magic’s Bar & Grill3 Moran Circle (Across from Pickup City)

Fairmont, WV 26554(304) 363-9227

BIKER FRIENDLY DIRECTORYInsane Leather Apparel

37 Eastship RoadDundalk, MD 21222

(410) 491-0020Email: [email protected]

www.insaneleather.org

CUSTOM ARTArt by Weeze

Custom art on bikes, leathers, helmets, auto, canvas & muralsMartinsburg, WV(304) 264-4604


CUSTOM PAINT & FABRICATION

TRs FabricationCustom Painting & Collision Repair

109 Rainbow Hill RoadBerkeley springs, WV 25411

(304) 258-0816 or (240) 674-2985Email: [email protected]

DEALERS & SERVICEEvel speed Custom Machine

& Motor sick’l shopFull Line of Accessories – Ride in style

7323 Winchester AvenueInwood, WV 25428

(304) 229-0987www.evelspeed.net

JT Cycle & Hoodlum Motorcycle GarageAftermarket & Custom Parts & Accessories

Authorized Big Dog & American Ironhorse service

486 Ragland Road, Beckley, WV 25801(304) 255-2468 www.jtcycleparts.com

M&J Motor CompanyLehman Trike Conversions

1000 s. Queen streetMartinsburg, WV 25401

(304) 262-6200www.mjtrikes.com


O.B.’s Motorsports1019 7th street

Parkersburg, WV 26101(304) 420-0910

Motorcycles shipped FREEwww.obsmotorsports.com

Romney Cycle Center51 Industrial Park – Off Route 28

Romney, WV 25757(304) 822-3933


skip’s Honda580 south Mineral street

Keyser, WV 26726(304) 788-1615

smitty’s suzuki, Kawasaki, yamaha Rt. 33 E. Corridor H

Buckhannon, WV 26201(304) 472-4824


The Little shop of Harleysservice & AccessoriesHD Certified Mechanic

44 Bay Berry LaneBerkeley springs, WV 25411

(304) 258-3909

Tri-County Honda135 south Main streetPetersburg, WV 26847

(304) 257-4420www.tricountyhonda.com

The Twisted spokeCustom Builds, Motorcycle & ATV Repair

97 Milford streetClarksburg, WV 26301(304) 326-HOGG (4644)

www.thetwistedspoke.com

LODGINGsmoke Hole Caverns & Resort

Open All year RoundHC 59, Box 39

seneca Rocks, WV 26884(800) 828-8478

www.smokehole.com

MOTORCYCLE PARTSCycleMart - your Motorcycle Parts store

All Makes All Models202 Elkins street

Fairmont, WV 26554(304) 366-8119

www.cyclemart.net

PHOTOGRAPHYVetter Photo

1675 Cold spring RoadMoorefield, WV 26836

(304) 530-6855www.vetterphoto.com

SPORTING GOODSDoug’s sport shop

New and used Guns, sporting Apparel,Aigner Products and Reloading supplies

220 North Main street; 743B Hawse PlazaMoorefield, WV 26836 (304) 538-6496Email: [email protected]

TATTOO STUDIOSsmokin’ Guns Tattoo

2986 Robert C. Byrd DriveBeckley, WV 25801

(304) 250-6020www.sgtattoo.com

VEHICLE SERVICESBob’s Tire service Inc.812 East Moler Avenue Martinsburg, WV 25401

(304) 267-2797www.bobstireservice.net

Hot Rods Roll Back and Towingspecializing in Motorcycle Towing

274 Bedington RoadMartinsburg, WV 25401

(304) 267-5586 Visa & MC AcceptedEmail: [email protected]

WEB DESIGNMeridian Websites

55 Meridian Parkway, suite 101 Martinsburg, WV 25401

(304) 263-1000www.meridianwebsites.com

C.E.’s Helping Hands (Old Fields, WV)is a non-profit organization enlisting the help of other good hearted people wanting to contribute to the cause of helping others in need. Recent donations have gone to local families with serious health and financial challenges. The organization holds monthly meetings and several fundraising rides every year. Donations are always appreciated. For more information visit our website at www.cehelpinghands.com.

Highways and Hedges Motorcycle Ministry (South Charleston, WV)For more information email Jim “Jammer” Marcum at: [email protected]

Clubs & Organizations

BIKER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY


William Henry“Bill”Scott IV 1938 – 2009

The West Virginia motorsports community lost one of its pillars this past month. Bill Scott lost his race with cancer at the age of 71, on December 7th, 2009. Mr. Scott had owned the Summit Point Motorsports Park in Summit Point, WV for the past three decades, as well as a professional driver training company, BSR, Inc.

Roger Lyle is President Emeritus of the Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Club, a motorcycle racing organization based at Summit Point. He has been a friend and colleague for many years, and prepared this tribute to Bill Scott:

William Scott succumbed to a lengthy illness on December 7, 2009, at age 71. He lived a life of courage and uncompromising integrity. He graduated from Franklin and Marshall College with a BA in geology and received his PhD in geophysics from Yale University. He chose to follow his passion for auto racing, however, rather than pursue a university career.

His success in racing included the 1968 European and U.S. Formulas Vee championships, the 1969 Formula Ford world championship, the 1970 Formula Vee world championship, and the 1971 and ’72 Formulas Super Vee U. S. pro series championship. In 124 races between 1965 and 1972, bill won 42 times and finished on the podium 77 times. Bill Scott Racing Inc. also won three consecutive SCCA GTR-3 national titles as a team in the late 70’s.

A racer’s life is short lived and Bill had a vision to train drivers the skills that he learned from racing. In 1980, he purchased the ailing Summit Point Raceway and, over time, transformed it into a premier racing facility. Summit Point Motorsports Park has evolved into four tracks, several firing ranges, a new 13-acre tactical training center for the U.S. State Department, and the Summit Point Training Campus. BSR trained thousand of drivers from private security companies to government agencies, but Bill was most proud of his life-saving Accident Avoidance classes for young drivers.

Bill had his own explanation for success, “The competitive spirit is still there. I want to be so much better than any other business that does our type of training, so that it goes without saying that the best clients come here. Second place is not an option.”

Bill carried this same spirit of excellence into his private life. He was an active supporter of the Music Conservatory of Shenandoah College and established the SPARC Foundation Fund, a part of the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, for the support of educational opportunities in Jefferson County, WV. He was a member of the Sports Car Club of America, Road Racing Drivers Club, American Society for Industrial Security, Horticultural Society of West Virginia, International Motorsports Association, Rotary International, and was a former board member for the Hill School.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Scott, his sister, JoAnn Scott of Forest, VA, his children William Henry “Jens” Scott of Marshall, VA, Alexandra Scott of New York City, Joella Wilson of Atlanta, GA, Laura Kinsman of Williamsburg, VA and Frans Hansen of Annapolis, MD, and five grandchildren.

Those whose lives he has touched are many. He was a loving husband and papa. Of all his interests, family was the most important. The twinkle in his eye brightened the day of all who saw it.

His was a life well-lived.

-Roger Lyle



Documents

Thunder Roads WV JAN10 Issue