I’ve got the chills. I haven’t eaten anything all day, but I shouldn’t. Yesterday I ate too many cookies, soups, enchiladas and god knows what else. Then as the rain fell outside she took a long soaking bath and jumped my bones. Then we got the munchies and ate more cookies.
Today I’m hammered and damnit the sun came out for the first time in a week showering the coast with it’s warm iridescence. I wanted to ride after a long comfortable jog and workout in the Bikernet iron pile. I only had a couple of gifts yet to wrap. It all seemed doable except for the uncomfortable growling in my stomach. Could it be that the Asian Mung has washed ashore near here? Let’s hit the news, just after I start a fire:
Here’s the RRP family and friends who could make the Choppers for Charity ride to the Povarello House. A special thanks goes out to everyone who donated and especially all of those who attended the first annual event.
Choppers for Charity
On December 22, 2002 the first annual Choppers for Charity event was put on by Road Rage Performance in Fresno. It wasn?t really a run, and we really didn’t expect many people to show. We knew it was the last Saturday before Christmas and those who weren’t traveling to grandma’s house would be finishing up their shopping. However, we felt it would be the perfect day to accomplish what we set out to do. And what we set out to do was help out those who might not have such a nice Christmas.
For quite a few years now, the Beal family who started Road Rage Performance (RRP), 4-years-ago, had been donating clothing on a personal level to the Povarello House in Fresno. Once RRP finally got into its own permanent address, the decision was made to open up their family tradition to the public. A lot of organizations host Toys for Tots events and food drives, but shelters that exist to help the homeless and hurting also need donations of useable clothing, especially here in Fresno where the winter time can be brutally cold from the heavy fog and freezing temperatures.
We picked a date as close to Christmas as practical. We also decided that this would not be a run but more like a little get together, inviting our customers and the public in general to share with us the feeling you get when doing something strictly for the benefit of others. I haven?t ever experienced anything like what I felt. We offered no party, no run pins or special t-shirts. We put the word out through our customers, fliers and on our Website that we would be a drop off point for anyone who wished to donate clothing to the homeless. We painted up a clean drum for the collections, and before it was even dry, folks filled it.
Word spread fast and clothing donation continued to stack up. A couple of the local TV news stations got wind of our little event and came out to see us.
As the big day got closer, a nasty storm blew through town, which cast some real doubts, if we would have decent riding weather. Even if it had snowed, we would have gone through with our plans. After a week of heavy rain, the storm gave in and we had a cold, but bright, clear day. We loaded up the shop truck, which had been decorated by some friends, fired up the bikes and rode to the Povarello House.
The Povarello House started out more than 30 years ago as nothing more than one man who passed out sandwiches to the homeless on his lunch breaks from work. Today the Povarello House has grown into a full service center for those in need. On average more than 1,000 people a day are fed in the dining hall. They also have a full Dental and Medical facility staffed by volunteers.
Red Dog Jones helping to decorate the 54 Ford
More and more the Povarello House is helping whole families. Once we arrived at the compound we were greeted by a number of volunteers with large smiles. Bruce, a Povarello staffer, directed us to an area where we could unload the donated clothing into a huge bin brought out by a forklift. And we actually filled it to the top. Bruce told us that he was really impressed with what we had gathered for a first time clothing drive, with no large corporate sponsors. Hey, we’re just a small shop.
Bruce gave us a guided tour through the facility, which was very impressive. The facilities for the Dentists and Doctors who volunteer their time were small but top notch. The massive kitchen was centered around a reportedly $7,000 stove, which had been purchased new and donated by a Fresno restaurant owner. The food storage lockers and warehouse were impressive as well. They even had a fenced yard for stray dogs and the pets of those who come to the house for help. Bruce told us that they always welcome the food donations as well as books for the library, but clothing was their biggest need.
On our way out we passed through a hallway lined with photos of just a fraction of the people who have come through the Povarello Houses doors in the last 30 years. Two things struck me very deeply. One, I will never again get annoyed because I don’t have a certain tool, machine or anything else I take for granted (like the roof over my head). You just don’t realize how bad things can be. Two, all of the photos were taken with black and white film, and it was impossible to pick out which were taken 20 or 30 years ago or maybe even last week. Trends and styles may come and go for most of us, but for some, life is lived on a very basic level.
Photos of some of the people who have come through Povarello House’s doors in the past 30 or so years. Humbling to say the least.
I wish I could explain the feeling I got looking at those photos. The best word I can come up with is humbling, and it seems like a real understatement.
Once we said our good-byes, we loaded up and cruised over to the infamous ?Tower District? in Fresno to party with our friends who joined us. Whether we collect one jacket or 1 ton of clothing, the Choppers for Charity clothing drive will be a yearly event from Road Rage Performance. Rain or shine. If you’re in the Fresno area around Christmas 2003, come join us. The feeling of doing something good purely for the sake of another is worth more than any run pin?.
–Text and photos by GFH Something From The Other Side Men are like a fine wine. They start out as grapes and it’s up to women to stomp them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with….. –from Kristine Senor Cinco Pelotas, Oh great and powerful one, how have we survived this long? I now have entries for your contest to guess my grandfathers bike, being sent to me. Shall I declare a winner? That’d be a good trick as I have no fucking idea what kind of bike he had. Can I make myself the winner? Just read your Arizona story. Good piece, although it doesn’t sound like the best run you’ve ever been on. Have you ever run the stretch of old 66 (now 10) from Kingman to Oatman? It’s about like trying to ride the edge of Christmas ribbon candy. One sunny day while at my favorite Oatman watering hole I decided I wasn’t ready to head home and took that old road. The sun baked tarmac looked like the veins on the back of grannies legs and the recent tar lines to fill all those cracks was slick from the scorching yellow ball in the Arizona sky. Heading north out of town I could soon see the awesome twisties and as I laid into the first one my sled was doing a dance I never felt before. Each time a wheel crossed the wet tar in the tight curve the front or back of the bike would slip just for an instant until the rubber again hit sold ground. Inch by inch I was slowly driven off my line leaving me perilously close the white paint and impending shear drop off. Adjusting for this on the next turn and forcing myself to relax through this butt puckering road dance, I eventually was able to enjoy the experience. Although, even after miles went by, I couldn’t adjust to the uneasy feeling. I have no doubt that you know of 89a through Jerome, Sedona, and Oak Creek Canyon. That is one of the more beautiful roads in the country. The best way is to run it north leaving Wickenburg just as you did and have the sun sagging toward the southern horizon to light up the red cliffs of Sedona like rubies upon Layla’s creamy neckline. Then on through the lush tunnel formed by arched arms of the forest in Oak Creek Canyon. Another of my favorite roads is near you. It goes north out of Ventura to Big Pine Mountain or Pine Top mountain, something like that. Do you know where I mean? I rode it one gorgeous April day back in ’97. I followed a little mountain stream adjacent to rolling hill sides covered in white blooms of yucca. The air smelled so sweet. The sky was cloudless, damn, that was a great day. I love to ride surrounded by the fresh smells of spring or the rich aroma of a summer harvest. Floating through just-cut mint fields of in a Michigan summer with a firm bosom pressed to your back is not soon forgotten. Fear not oh great one, we have over three and a half billion acres here in the good ol’ US of A. We’ll both be long gone and perhaps the motorcycle as well before all the free range disappears. I know you’ve ridden cross country and seen that there is one hell of a bunch of empty, very empty, ground out there. You know those times when you look all the way to that wavy mirage on the desert horizon, or when you’re alone and your girl is thirsty for a drink of 91-octane? The thought of over population doesn’t cross your mind then does it? Are you really planning to ride from Sturgis to Milwaukee? I’ll be making that run myself. Have a friend that lives there and is setting up “party central”. I do believe our friend Jose needs some more of your spiritual guidence. He seemed to be coming around for a week after visiting you. I’ve attached a pix you can use in his next rant. Who was that filling in for him this week? His piece was sweet enough to give a person a tooth ache. –FTW, Stroker Autumn On The Indian Reservation It was autumn, and the Indians on the remote reservation asked their new Chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was an Indian Chief in a modern society, he had never been taught the old secrets. When he looked at the sky, he couldn’t tell what the weather was going to be. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect firewood to be prepared. Also, being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the local phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, “Is the coming winter going to be cold?” “It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold indeed,” the meteorologist at the weather service responded. So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more wood in order to be prepared. A week later, he called the National Weather Service again & asked, “Is it going to be a very cold winter?” “Yes,” the man at National Weather Service again replied, “it’s definitely going to be a very cold winter.” This time the Chief went back to his people and ordered them to collect every possible scrap of wood they could get their hands on. Two weeks later, he called the National Weather Service again. “Are you absolutely positively sure that the winter is going to be very cold?” “Absolutely,” the man replied. “It’s going to be one of the coldest winters ever.” “How can you be so sure?” the Chief asked. The weatherman replied, “The Indians are collecting wood like crazy.” –Nuttboy Dear Santa, I really really want a puppy this year. Please please please PLEASE PLEASE could I have one? — Timmy Timmy, That whiny begging shit may work with your folks, but that crap don’t work up here. You’re getting a sweater again. Santa –from Bob T. Watch Out For Your Brothers And Sisters Near to the door he paused to stand. As he took his class ring off her finger, all who were watching did not speak. As a silent tear ran down his cheek, through his mind the memories danced of the moments they walked and ran in the sand hand and hand. But now her eyes were so terribly cold for he would never again have her to hold. The crowd watched in silence as he bent near her ear and whispered the words I LOVE YOU. He touched her face and started to cry as he put on his ring. He wanted to die and just then the wind began to blow as they lowered her casket into the snow. This is what happened to man when friends let friends drink and drive. HAVE A HEART! –from Needles Dan Dave Barr Checks In I’ve just returned from two months in Australia where hopefully I’ve established my second world record. I road a Sportster to the four extreme compass points of the continent of Australia, much of it through the outback. I’m working with a company that is making a documentary of the journey and is aiming to get it out to mainstream TV. Looking forward to hearing from you. –Dave Barr Dave is a wounded military man who has spent the last two decades riding around the world. We have one of his books in the gultch–“Riding the Edge”. Check it out. Navy Reports From The Front The Nuclear Aircraft Carrier, U.S.S. Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and the ships in her Battle Group, got underway from Norfolk, Va. this morning for an extended deployment. Just as the lines were cast off, this announcement was made throughout the ship and topside on the ships intercom (1mc): “Peace on Earth to men of good will – All others, Stand By” –from the Frogman Remembering The Brave If you are so inclined, visit the Department of Defense web page below and sign a brief message thanking the men and women of the U.S. military services for defending our freedom. The compiled list of names will be sent out to our soldiers at the end of the month. So far, there are only about 2,395,213 people have signed to date. What a shame. National Military Appreciation Month http://www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html takes 10 seconds…literally –from RFR I Made Some Tea– I’ve still got the chills, and the sun is setting behind me as the harbor lights up like a vast field of steel Christmas trees. –Bandit
Road Rage Performance
4566 E. Pine St.
Fresno CA. 93703
559.252.1700 
ridingtheedge@hotmail.com. 
I’m not riding today. I’ll post this sucker, then hide from the women and hope this is just a 24-hour bug. Merry Christmas, goddamnit. 
