Sturgis 2007

It’s way too hard to put it all into words, but Sturgis 2007 was an amazing journey for me. The hectic intensity of the Today Show gig two weeks before, left me little energy to keep pace with what happened next. So, quick, let’s take a 2007 Sturgis journey. This time, it will be a photo journey as it would be too hard to put the whole twisted thing into words.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

We tried to ride but the vicious thunderstorms stole away many hours of potential riding. We did get out to Wyoming a few times.

Saturday

Saturday we rode, and I mean we rode hard. There is no other way to ride when ya ride with Dozer. After getting a ticket for the apehangers on Josh’s bike, we started in Deadwood, then turned onto twisty Nemo Road. We looked on the map and picked the windiest roads between Nemo and Keystone. Our goal was Needles Highway. We blasted through a series of evil curves. Dozer used to work with Ron Finch and rides old style, that is, side by side.

It was quite an experience to ride with someone who loves to pour on the throttle and blast through the curves and is so good at holding the line. What was not that fun was having his stroker and Tony’s V-Rod blow past my stock H-D motored chopper, on the straights.

We were in Keystone when dark clouds began to move across the previously clear blue sky, but we set out for Needles anyway. Just below Keystone there is this wicked set of curves complete with tunnels and overpasses that spiral across one another. That was followed by Iron Mt Road. It was like the best amusement park ride ever, wicking through these curves. We were just about ready to peel onto Needles Highway when the rain hit.

The clouds were churning evil dark that direction so we headed for a patch of blue sky, but the rain followed us. While trying to outrun thunderstorms, I saw wild donkeys under the trees and decided it was pretty bad when donkeys had more sense that we did. I pulled over, the guys followed and we hid out under the trees for the next half hour until the rain passed. We made it back to Keystone, where Josh’s shifter threatened to jump off.

Reqardless it was a great day of riding. After breaking every speed limit between Deadwood and Custer, we parted company and I rolled back to Spearfish in record time, passing anyone I could. I was within 3 miles of home base when my chopper quit. After several hours, a gallon of gas, 7 rescuers, and a new coil – it looked like my ignition died. My chopper returned to the hotel in the back of a truck. A lowly first for me at any event in the past 13 years.

Sunday

The next day I rode a borrowed bobber and Jim, my Hamster husband, installed a new ignition on the chop. The bobber was cool as hell to ride, but getting back on my chopper felt like sitting on an easy chair. The bike never felt so comfy. I spent the rest of my time riding my chop thinking, “Oh yeah, this is nice.”

MondayThe latest from Bill Dodge’s Bling Cycles. French Kiss did the paint. How the hell did these guys get so frickin good at painting???Keino and Steve Broyles working hard at Grease Monkey Mayhem.

Tuesday Builder’s Breakfast, Hanging downtown, and Michael Lichter Show reception

Me and Yass at the Builder’s Breakfast. Yass is editor of Vibes. A kickass bike mag out of Japan. Yass is cool as hell and the Builder’s Breakfast was an awesome good time with great food and friends.

“A little lower please.”

Me and Athena Ransom (left), the captain of our Chopper Chick Crew along with our Today Show Chopper. Biker’s Choice provided us with their Aces High Kit Bike. The kit comes with everything; all you need is paint, gas and of course, air for the tires. The Today Show Chopper is up for auction at http://www.charityfolks.com/>www.charityfolks.com.

Paul Yaffe on his new bagger. I do not know if he rode the bagger to Sturgis. If he did it would be a first. He usually rides his latest chopper. This is one hard riding dude.

It rained like a mean mother on Tuesday. I got caught in it and was soaked again. Pulled into a gas station to get out of the rain and saw this sweet 74 shovel. It has matching frame and case numbers and an ORIGINAL Donnie Smith girder front end (I believe that’s a Durfee Girder). The owner stole it from the previous owner cos the dude didn’t know that old bikes occasionally need maintenance.

This copper tanked wonder from Vicious Cycles (with U.S. Choppers rolling chassis) took a big prize at the Metlzer Show and at a custom paint show. Huh? Sometimes the best choice of paint is no paint.

Hey, sounds like a good deal.

Sometimes the coolest bikes are out in the parking lot, like this custom from Gangster Choppers.

2006 AMD First Place Winner and all around incredible bike building master, Chicara, applies artwork to the Pink Ribbon Chopper. This bike, build by The Chopper Chick Crew for the National Breast Cancer Foundation was on display at Thunder Road. Many esteemed individuals have signed this tank.

I wanna be as cool as Paul Cox. The Indian Larry Legacy crew had some sweet chops at Sturgis. This was just one.

Keino takes a break from the brutal grind of Sturgis. His creation seen here was part of Michael Lichter's One World Show.

Can you believe someone actually gave these guys passports? Airport security must have been on a coffee break. (Glenn Priddle and Doc Robinson from Heavy Duty mag and Bikernet.com correspondents outta Australia.)

Paul Jr. signs the Pink Ribbon Chopper.

Heather and I hold up Bill Steele, street rod/bike builder/beer drinker extrodinaire. Roger Goldhammer done gone and forget a cylinder again.

“Now see here, you young whippersnappers, this is how it’s done.”

Roller Derby Girl/Evil Mistress from Leroy Thompson. Natalie shows the Geico guy whose boss.

Wednesday

Beulah, Wyoming, pop 33. This little town welcomes bikers with open arms and ice cold beer. They even have drag races in the middle of town starting Wednesday night. It’s a throwback to the old days, before tickets for bare titties.

Butch and Dawn from Stinger on their newest bare metal bike. Dawn keeps a towel between her butt and the fender to keep her jeans from getting rust stains.

The first place winner of the AMD Championship. For more info go to AMD’s website. It was too frickin to hot to think the day I took this picture. This bike is featured on Bikernet.

Second Place winner at AMD, the newest from Chicara. Someone told me he has over a million hours into this bike. Seriously, this guy is true gentleman as well as an amazing craftsman.

So I’m pulling out of Thunder Road and my bike dies and won’t start. Someone behind me is yelling, “Turn off your gas!” I look down and there’s a huge puddle of gas under my bike. I turn it off, pull forward and run like hell back to the Thunderdome, where I know Chica is walking out. I tell him what happened and he ran over to my bike. He got it started with the gas turned off and ran the carb out of gas. The float musta been stuck or something. Whatever it was, he knew just what to do. Thanks Chica! (Hey man, I’m not an expert at broke down stuff like George the Painter.)

There is no picture to go with this part of the story. I was hanging with the crew from SATA Spray equipment at Glencoe Campground when I got the call that some folks were waiting for me down in Black Hawk, a little town out by Rapid City. It was 10 pm and I was packing up the chopper getting ready to leave when I heard a familiar voice. The campsite was just behind the Rockin the Rally stage. It sounded like Joan Jett and sure enough it was. So I rode out on my late night trip to the rocking sound of “I hate myself for lovin‚ you.” It was stuck in my head for the rest of the week.

I do not recommend riding on I 90 late at night. It is russian roulette, only with deer instead of bullets, and anyone who thinks otherwise, is a fool. Think I’m a wuss? Tell that to Mike Pag who broke his leg in 3 places back in 2003 when he hit a deer doing 100 mph. Or to the guy they were putting in the bodybag outside of Deadwood that afternoon. Or better yet, tell it to the owner of this website that ended up with an antler through his lung back in 2001.

And yet, there I am, out there playing beat the odds. People are on bikes are flying past me. I’m doing about 65. Just fast enough to hopefully keep from getting run over, yet slow enough to maybe maneuver in case one of those fuckers, grazing by the side of the road, decide to take a quick hop.

At one point I was going straight up the side of a mountain in the middle of nowhere, it dark as hell, I swear I saw bear in the woods. I wondered what the hell was doing in Bear Country. This guy literally lived on top of a mountain. After our meeting, I rode the 40 miles back to Spearfish and wanted to kiss the ground when I arrived safely. But this was the funny part; I was the only woman at the meeting and the only person who rode a motorcycle to it.

Thursday

This bike makes powder blue look good.

The World’s Fastest bagger with its rider Laura soon-to-be-Klock.

We were minding our own business at the Biker’s Choice trailer and this buffalo goes strolling by down the alley behind J & P Cycles.

”This is my trike,” said da dog. “Got it?”

Vagabond Choppers Texas Chop Off bike. The scallops are actually three dimensional. This bike competed in the AMD Show.

Kenny Price, of Samson Pipes, and his custom painted Vrod. Vince Goodeve is the artist behind this daily rider.

Betsey Huelskamp and Dave Nichols are awed by the mingling frenzy of the Performance Machine / Corbin Press Party.

More from the PM / Corbin Press party. Sasha Mullins and Jayme Gray. Jayme of Pussycat Choppers, is a member of our Chopper Chick Crew.

Knocking them out with style at the Grease Monkey Mayhem Party Thursday Night. Bean’re got a new suit. And a milk maid.

Keino really needs to learn how to relax.

My buddy Sherri with Satya Krause and his totally brutal pan. It took home a 12th at the AMD Championship.

George the Painter was actually too tired to bitch and complain.The frontend on Satya’s pan is way too long.

“How the hell do you ride this thing with these wild ass bars?”

Chris Callen, editor of Cycle Source leaving the Grease Monkey party for another round of, “Will I be a victim of police profiling.” As of now I do not know if he was successful. “We went boom boom behind the bushes.” Powderman and his lovely lady Heather.

So that’s it! For more info on Sturgis, look up the dates for 2008, get the time off work and get your butt out there. It is without a doubt the best bike event in the country. Great people, brutally gorgeous riding and lots of nighttime action. And to that guy who made us wait 2 hours for our food at Cheyenne Crossing, “You didn’t have to be a jerk, just cos I didn’t laugh at your stupid joke. We used to recommend your restaurant to everyone. I won’t in the future.

The entire event can’t be all blue skies and ice cold beer. Some 90 percent of Sturgis 2007 was tops. Can’t wait for next year.

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