Newbie Rules...Looking for more!

As the saying goes, $15,000 and 15 miles doesn't make you a biker. True dat. We all know the rules of conduct around bikers are far different that those in downtown Washington, DC, or at least Northwest DC, so I thought it would be fun to build a list of things to do, or even more important, things not to do at a first run or Biker event.


(Reposted.....The original was buried in an event post)


For starters:


Rule One: The Girls from Azle decided that you shouldn't say you "drove" your bike to Sturgis. One such utterance and you'll probably be chased out of town and your motorcycle confiscated. School buses and cars are driven, but motorcycles are ridden. So remember, you RODE your motorcycle to Sturgis. Get that right.


...and from the original post:


Rule Two: NEVER sit on someone else's motorcycle without the owners' permission. And don't scratch it or smudge it. In short, don't do anything to someone's bike or you might regret it.


Rule Three: If you see a hot girl appearing to be alone, the odds are 99-to-1 that she's actually not alone, didn't come alone, and the biggest, meanest motherfucker you ever saw is just out of eyesight. Masturbation is a far better option than an evening spent in the ER. Or put another way, be on the safe side and take your own. Fucking with someone's Old Lady is damn near as bad as sitting on their bike.


Rule Four: Don't fuck with people. Bikers tend to settle differences in far more physical ways than a quiet discussion over coffee in a downtown cafe.


Rule Five: Get the first four rules memorized and follow them.


OK, maybe I'm just bored, but I figured I'd put this out there one more time to see what y'all can come with for Nifty Rules and Tips for New Riders, or things to do, or not to do, when attending your first Biker event! Let's hear it! Whatcha got?


Cowboy

Time of the Season

I guess credit for this stolen photo goes to Roland Sands Design.....If not, lemme know.

Damn...As I'm writing this, it's the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, it's just after 5, and it's fucking dark. Not just dusky, but dark. Already. And raining too. And though it hasn't been a bad day, I still ain't having one like the guy in the picture....I like that damn picture.

But this ain't about pictures or art, or even early darkness. I'm not even real sure what this post will be about, but I need to keep Southern Comfort recharged during the off-months when there isn't much going on. It's the time of the season when people are getting those last rides in before the bikes are put away.

And also the time when we get together and tell war stories about all the events we attended in 2011! Hell, we may even lie a little, but with our crew, lying's hard since we travel together. Someone is always sober enough to remember everything, and there's always a camera ready to snap a picture at the worst possible moment. And yeah, just about every time you fart, someone updates their Facebook status accordingly. Nothing happens that doesn't show up on Facebook sooner or later.

For me, family obligations took priority over most of my Summer and Fall plans this year, and while I have no regrets whatsoever, I'm damn sure gonna make up for it in 2012. I already have reservations for Daytona Bike Week and Sturgis, SD. I already wrote the checks. Non refundable. I'm going.

In the news......

First of all, at about 10PM last night, Southern Comfort was viewed for the 20,000th time. Twenty-fucking-thousand times someone tracked this blog down for one reason or another. Income from the Blog has reached the staggering grand total of $10.69, which just might buy me lunch someday. US readers top the list, followed at a distance by the Canada, Germany, the UK, and even Russia's on the list at #6. Ride safe over there...Must be f'n cold!

Lately, the DK Customs review was the hot item, closely followed by the Joker Machine upgrade posts, which also include words about DK Customs hardware. And the Kendon Trailer and Pitbull Lift articles also made a comeback.

• DK Customs Article
• Joker Mods 2
• Joker Mods 3
• Kendon Loading/Unloading
• Motorcycle Lifts / Pitbull Lift

In other news....

I sniffed around, again, the other day at a full-dress bike Patriot HD had....a Limited. I got as close to a deal as I ever had in the past, but still couldn't bring myself to sign the papers. Still not sure how much I'd ride it, but that sure looks like the way to go to Sturgis from Virginia...instead of the Softail Custom.

I did, very briefly, entertain the thought of letting the Softail Custom go, but a ride on it later that day convinced me I'll keep that FXSTC forever. Stay tuned as I wrestle with this decision to get bike #3.

I hit a good day two weekends ago and took off for Kent Island on Maryland's Eastern Shore. What a great place, and a fantastic day-ride destination. Crab cakes at Harris' Crab House is an absolute must, and after that there's Red Eye's Dock Bar right next door, a very popular biker/powerboat bar. Coincidentally, they serve cold beverages...What a surprise! We might even end up there this Saturday, and if so, pix to follow. Might even get some of those infamous Potty Pix by Denise! (I'll bet THAT got your attention!)

Kent Narrows, near Grasonville, MD

Maryland Crab Cake

And no. No matter where else you had one, it wasn't this good.

I also snuck off to Dallas to watch the Cowboys kick Buffalo's ass.....great time, with gratitude to "The Girls of Azle" for their hospitality! Hey, no bikes involved, but a good time anyway. Wait! I did hit Texas Harley Davidson to do a t-shirt run, so it wasn't a total loss!!!

Go Dallas

Past all that, I'm just chillin.....Taking it easy, buying bike parts and tools on eBay to set up my shop, when and if I ever get around to it. I'll try to update the blog now and then this fall and winter, just to keep the dust off the keyboard and the cobwebs out of the brain cells....... It's that time of the season.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Ride Safe

Cowboy

SC's First, & Maybe Only, Fashion Article.....

True Story Department:

Cowboy, to Korean guy at the cleaners: Please patch up the holes in these 3 pairs of jeans. Yes, they're same jeans you fixed last time.

Korean Guy: Jeans are very old, Ken [Cowboy].

Cowboy: Yes, but I like 'em.

Korean Guy: Ken, you have Hummer, Harley and Porsche. You can afford new pants! They'd be better and maybe cheaper than fix!

Cowboy: Fix em, OK? I'll throw them away after this fix.

Korean Guy, shaking his head and walking away: Your money, Ken. Have a good day....

And that's it....My guy is still shaking his head, wondering why anyone would save some ragged-ass jeans, and waste the money to have them repaired over and over. I, on the other hand, won't even ride in new jeans! If I ever get a bagger, maybe that'll change........


Cowboy

RIP Millie Brown

Millie Brown

I heard just this morning that an old and dear friend passed away, and Millie Brown, may you rest in peace. I regret to say that I don't have a single photo* of Millie that I've been able to put my hands on, which in many ways I find strange.

Millie, you see, was right there when Hell's Creations MC was starting up, back in the late 60's-early 70's. Millie was one of the (much) younger girls that would show up at our clubhouse, and for the low, low price of a pat on the ass, was welcomed to the party which was always going on. No one.....no one I can remember anyway.... was really sure who Millie was actually dating, but she was always there!

I remember that smiling face clearly, and Millie was such a cool lady to have around. There was never a dull moment in the club, and certainly not with Millie around.

Time passes.....

I drifted away from the crowd in later years, and Millie did as well, each of us going our separate ways. I last saw Millie at Crazy Steve's funeral about 3 years ago (Has it really been that long?).

Now there's another funeral....hers. Millie will be missed. She's survived by her daughter Melissa.

RIP Millie Brown.....

* A footnote or two: Since I couldn't find a photo of Millie, I included one of a few of the old HCMC crew, taken near Glen Burnie, Maryland in 1968. She's not in the photo (neither am I...I took it!), but I'll bet she's in the background someplace, laughing and having fun. Secondly, I broke a Southern Comfort "rule" in this post, using Millie's last name, something I rarely do. I figured it might help others remember her as fondly as I do.

** Thankfully a family member posted a group photo this afternoon, and I edited the original to get this shot of Millie...