When my little cousin planned her wedding for August 5th, and asked me to be her wedding photographer, of course my answer wasm, “yes!” And when my mother and brother and his family decided to come out for the wedding and stay with me, of course the answer was, “yes!” What is more important than family? Nothing! So when I was discussing my dilemma of being late for Sturgis with the wisest woman I know, my mother…………she asked me, “What do you suppose would happen if you just didn’t go to Sturgis this year?” And after mulling the thought around in my head for a moment she continued, “Are you fairly certain they would call the event off?”
Not go to Sturgis? Hummmmm. The thought had never occurred to me. Not in over twenty years! August has long been the month that I set out to go visit all of my family. God put Sturgis in the middle of all of them, so I assumed he wanted me there! Okay, all kidding aside, I used my annual road trip to reassess all that is happening in my life. Stepping away from my consistencies has been the way to clearly evaluate my life. Am I doing what I WANT.
Otherwise, it is easy to slip into overdrive, and just grind at the world I’ve created. Sounds delightful, don’t it? I want my life to be full of conscious choices. Not one of habit, or being victim of circumstance. I want to make my life happen, not let it happen to me. Sometimes we feel stuck, as if we were a prisoner of our own lives. What gives me the purest feeling of not being stuck? It’s experiencing freedom on its most basic level. Nothing helps me feel freedom in it’s most primal form quite like riding my motorcycle down a lonely road. It’s just you at the helm of your own ship,……….deciding which way to go.
Bikers of all ages, types, races, and religions pretty much agree on that one aspect. We love the feeling of freedom we get on a motorcycle. Freedom is what we all seem to value most. It is what wars are fought over. There is no price to be put on freedom, and yet the price is so high. We call our nation, “The Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave.” I passed a home made painted sign in the desert that said, “Land of the Free, BECAUSE of the Brave.” How true that is. Our country has been in a war on terrorism for a decade. We the bikers that gather in the middle of our nation every summer to experience that freedom, get to do that BECAUSE of our brave.
With my tightened schedule I had only four days to spend in Sturgis, and every day was booked with a ride or event with a charity or cause worth our help, our time, and our compassion. Yet, I found myself so busy running from place-to-place that I barely had time to jot down notes about which events benefited which causes. And as it is in life, sometimes it takes divine intervention for me to slow down and see, to feel, and to comprehend that which is placed directly into my path. So I’ll work backwards in events the way they happened, because God saved my best lesson for last, as he often does!
I was at the Buffalo Chip campground in a panic because I couldn’t find my connection. It was a clear amazing night supporting “American Thunder” with Jeff Bridges, Stevie Nicks, and John Fogerty in the line up. At the time I had no recollection of who John Fogerty was, and although I love Stevie Nicks, I was on a mission. Get out of my way, I wanted to meet the Dude!
Okay, everybody remembers Jeff Bridges as the Dude, I think of him as Wild Bill! I have long fancied myself as a modern day version of Calamity……….although I’ve come to question why I identify so much with a homely working girl. And while I was sweating at the hot, dusty gate of the Chip, my friend Ken Conte asked me what I was up to. Even he couldn’t help me find my connection, but he was with a nice young kid who asked if he could take a photograph with me and my bike. So I threw my arms around the big, strong kid as Ken snapped this picture for us, and then they were off. I remember thinking he didn’t seem like the kind of boy I normally see in Sturgis. He was so straight, clean cut and well mannered!
When I finally did bamboozle my way backstage, the entire night was somewhat of a blur! Because, well, I met the Dude! And yikes of yikes, how ridiculously handsome is he? And oh what a shiny wedding ring he wears, darn thing nearly blinded me. He sings a lot like Kris Kristofferson, and acts, well……….a lot like the Dude.
Before I knew it Stevie Nicks took the stage. And just as she did, a huge gust of wind blew across the open platform. During a few disturbed songs, staff considered dragging her off of the stormy stage. But Stevie kept singing, and I have to say, that wind made her come alive! Her dress started blowing, and her hair took flight, and it was like I was watching her in 1978 all over again. She made the whole place come alive!
Then John Foggerty, who I wasn’t even sure I knew!!!!!!! Holy moly! Every word of every Credence Clearwater Revival song was already dancing in my brain, and he rocked the house down! Now that’s a rock star!
In between songs, while I was standing near the mega star dressing rooms that a young familiar face asked me to look for his friend, and give them directions. I looked into his clean cut face, and thought he seemed very clear and confidant for such a young man, and again, not a usual vibe for Sturgis. I watched him walk away, and noticed he had prosthetic legs. He was wearing shorts, and walked as if he was as strong and healthy as a young man can be. When his friend came thru, I sent him out front to find his group.
Moments later, they returned to wait their turn to take the stage. Turns out, this benefit concert was organized by Bob Woodruff, the ABC newsman who sustained traumatic brain injury when his vehicle was hit by a bomb, while he was covering news developments in Iraq in 2006. Bob was in a coma for five weeks, and no one expected him to make the amazing come back he made, which he attributes to the support of his loyal family. Bob made it his mission to dedicate himself to helping our soldiers, and is raising money and awareness for the many soldiers who also sustain traumatic injuries.
The young boy I met, was in the last band destined to play this evening, called “Southern Fried.” He played the drums, and was a soldier who fought for us in Iraq. I asked him if I could have my picture with him again, and he said, “haven’t we been thru this already?”
I honestly wasn’t sure that he was the same boy. He was wearing long pants, and I had not even noticed that he did not have legs when we took that first picture. I watched him and his friends waiting to take the stage at the very crowded Buffalo Chip, and it didn’t even seem like they were all that nervous to go out in front of a crowd of several hundred thousand people.
After John Fogerty sang his last song, Bob Woodruff took the stage with this young boy, and they talked about our soldiers, and the freedom we are fighting for. Tears just started pouring down my face, because this young boy was so brave. People always see me as this fearless biker chic who does all of these wild things, but he was brave in ways I cannot even comprehend. He seemed to be doing it effortlessly, and his bravery did not end in Iraq.
Meeting Jeff Bridges was absolutely too cool for words, but it was this boy who touched my heart. He made me remember how fortunate we all are to be Americans, who get to experience freedom of choice every single day in everything we do………BECAUSE of our Brave. Truly, the only way our country is ever going to change the sad condition it is in today, is if we start caring less about ourselves as individuals, and more about each other as human beings. This huge benefit made possible by the Bob Woodruff Foundation & the Buffalo Chip was a great event because we need to continue to support our troops, our vets, and their families. This kid was retired Staff Sgt. Dale Beatty. He holds an honorable purple heart and he is the co-founder of an organization called “PurpleHeartHomes”, along with his friend John Gallina which helps disabled vets of all wars retro fit their homes to accommodate their injuries. If you would like to read more about Dale or Purple Heart Homes, go to: www.phhusa.org.
My friend Lorenzo Lamas was also out in Sturgis, and is supporting our troops with his charity rides called “Rumble for the Heartland.” Lorenzo’s organization is supporting the needs of the families who are left behind when their loved one is away. I ran into him and all of my legend friends, I hadn’t seen in awhile at the “Legends Ride,” which rolled over my favorite roads in a loop out of Deadwood, thru Nemo, and back out to the Buffalo Chip.
Every year my experience in Sturgis is unique, and it is because of the people from all around the globe who make the journey to the Black Hills to enjoy the beauty of the land, and the mashing of the personalities! The history of Deadwood and the great warriors and outlaws who have walked those same streets made it the perfect place for motorcycle legends to gather and reconnect.
For many of us who live all across the United States, Sturgis is the one time of year we get to see each other. My good pal Chris Callen of Cycle Source magazine and all of the guys at the Limpnickie lot are friends I never want to miss seeing. Chris has a huge heart, and always tries to bring awareness thru the events he puts on as well. On his ride this year, he helped educate us all on how easy it has become to be a bone marrow donor, and provided a service right there for those who wanted to get involved.
Many of us in the riding community are friends on Facebook now, so you already know about Aiden Jack Seegar, but for those of you who don’t, he is the cutest little 6- year-old boy who really needs a donor, or his little life will be cut way too short. Aidan was diagnosed with ALD, which is a rare brain disease. You can find information on how to help Aidan at: www.aidanhasaposse.wordpress.com.
At night I still like to roam to my roots at the Old Broken Spoke downdown where I can still count on finding most of my friends at any given hour!
My forever wind-sister Sasha Mullins was helping Jay Allen run the place this year, and I owe her a big shout out for hooking me up with the American Thunder group and allowing me to be a part of that whole night. As much as I don’t understand the whole burnout concept and why we all continue to file in and choke on the black air, there is something about the energy in the room when that screaming sound and rubber smoke envelopes you! But I miss the good old days of listening to Jimmy Van Vant play the seemingly endless version of “Freebird,” and dancing the night away with my buddy Carl from Minnesota. We hung out and watched the burnouts together, but it’s a little hard to have a conversation with an old friend under those conditions!
An evening not to miss is always the celebration of the talented Micheal Lichters work. This year Micheal teamed up with artist and collector Jeff Decker, who had many unusual items in his motorcycle art and memorabilia collection, including the original vests of club boys of the past. His collection is so intriguing it even drew in the hosts of the popular “American Picker” show, along with every other big name in the motorcycle industry.
Every year there seems to be a larger group of women who ride and attend the Sturgis rally, and this year was not only no exception, it was the year to celebrate women who ride. Starting out with two of my favorite ladies being inducted into the Hall of Fame, Gloria Struck, and Margaret Wilson, whose husband Mike was also inducted. Both of these ladies are in the Motor Maids club, and have inspired my other women over the years to ride. Gloria is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen at 86 and has ridden in every state and all over Canada.
Margaret and Mike still ride in their early 90s, and together owned a Harley dealership in Iowa. A sweeter couple are not to be found! When I asked them each separately what their secret was to such a long enduring relationship, they each told me they were each others best friend. When they were called up to speak at the breakfast, Mike first gave Margaret a kiss. Later I told them I had missed the kiss, and asked for a repeat performance. I purposely missed it several times to make them keep going! Which made biker/writer Chris Sommer Simmons, and her Doobie Brother husband Pat Simmons want a piece of the action!
Gloria, Chris and I were featured this year in a book called “Biker Chicz of North America” by Edward Winterhalder & Wil De Clercq, along with 19 other amazing women friends. We did a book signing at my all time favorite Indian trading post in Rapid City, called Prarie’s Edge. If you’ve never peeked inside, it is worth the trip! For all of you ladies who have asked where I get my leather accessories, this book holds the secret! Also featured in the book are my longtime riding partners Gevin Fax and Sasha Mullins, and the fastest land speed record holder Laura Klock.
Also my pal Meg McDonough, who is a Jackpine Gypsy, and started the Biker Belle’s run, which all of my favorite women participated in this year. It was great to spend a day just riding and bonding with this seasoned group of amazing women riders. We rode, we ate, we laughed, we cried, and we even had a fashion show! Ya know, girl stuff! But I am honored to be included and spend time with each and every lady that was on the ride. I hope it grows wildly in the future!
Four days was definitely not enough time for me to see and do all that I like to do in the Black Hills, but I did manage to pack a whole lot of fun into four action filled days! At the end of the day, it’s just spending time with the people you love that matters. Several of my friends that we would normally spend time with were working the event and held captive in one way or another! Bean’re was Being held captive by the Buffalo Chip, Jack Schitt was held captive by the Broken Spoke, and Masyn Moyer, well I think she may have tied herself up in her own tent…………
So, I had to leave my friends in the Black Hills, and head on down the highway to my family in Minnesota. I squeezed in one River Ride with my sister Kathy, along the Missippi and back along the Wisconsin side. Then we headed back thru the Black Hills to take my dear ole Dad to Bear Country, then on to brother Joe’s in Wyoming, and finally back to Colorado, because I think, as Dorothy discovered……….there’s no place like home!
