Cycle Connections

Summer is Officially Underway!

Have a Fun Safe Summer, Great Adventures, And Remember, We Invite You To Share Them with Us!

                                       Stay Safe, Wash Your Hands & Stay Well

Cover Design By: Lisa Bonta

In This Issue:

Custom Paint That Rocks!

CC Custom Coatings & Graphics offers high quality, ultra-durable Motorcycle Custom Paint !

We are the premier Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Custom Paint, Paint Repair, Powder Coating and Ceramic Coating shop in the mid-west.

Spring is in full swing and the bikers are rolling in to Panama City Beach Florida in anticipation of the Thunder Beach Rally...Bikes, Beach, Beer, Babes, what's not to like!

  Well this year they at least were able to have fans back out to watch the Indy racing action, and people were able to get closer to the drivers and the action.

                Did you know that there are 800 keys that make up the Florida Keys? Some of them are accessible by driving, but most are only accessible by boat. I learned this recently while researching ideas for things to see and do for our long overdue trip to Key West. The word “key” comes from the Spanish word “cayo” which translates to “small island”.

There are a number of strange laws on the books in the United States, and many of them pertain to motorcycles. Some of these seem to be old laws that nobody got around to rescinding, and that few people are aware of, let alone follow. Others make you wonder, “Why do people have to be told this is a bad idea?” Here are some of the weirdest examples of active laws that pertain to motorcycles. 

The ride started at Pensacola HD, Ist stop was at Gulf Coast Brewery in Pensacola. They have ping pong tables and cornhole set up for the customers all the time.

2nd stop Eagles Talon in Pensacola They have more patches to sew on your vest or jacket than I ever seen in one place. They sew anything you want on your leathers, denims, etc. They also sell all kinds of biker attire.

3rd stop Foley Pub in Pace Just a small roadside bar with picnic tables under the trees outside and real good food from a food truck out front 4th and final stop was at Ollie's A bar and rest similar to Applebee's. Excellent food and ambience.

They had raffles for gift cards and other prizes excluding but not limited to a mountain bike, ukulele, leather jacket, several individual bottles of liquor and a big assorted liquor baskets.

We drew chips at each stop 1-10 had prizes for high score and low score. A live band at Pensacola HD Also at Ollie's to end the ride. Every body that left that morning arrived that afternoon. It was a good day.

  St. Patrick's Day is always a call for celebration and good food at the Veterans Brotherhood, so why not combine it with a Chow Call.

  Daytona Bike Week brought in a record number of bikers to celebrate getting out and riding, enjoying the sunshine, mixed in with a couple of raindrops; not enough to dampen anyone's spirits though. 

KYLE WYMAN CHARGES TO ROAD ATLANTA KING OF THE BAGGERS VICTORY ON FACTORY HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE MOTORCYCLE

Jesse Janisch Dominates Production Twins on Harley-Davidson XG750R at Odessa Half-Mile

MILWAUKEE, WI (April 24, 2022) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory rider Kyle Wyman scored a hard-fought win in the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers race at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. on Sunday. The defending series champion passed for the lead on lap three, and pulled away for the win aboard a race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycle. James Rispoli finished second on the Vance & Hines Racing Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – January 2, 2019 – HawgWilde Cosmetics, LLC’s (HWC)

online late 2018, was a very exciting milestone for Andrea Bates,

CEO/Co-Founder and Shari Weisman, COO/Co-Founder of HawgWilde

Cosmetics,

Also, Zoo Run Safari for Children's:

September the 17th @ The Barber Motorsports Park

Help escort kids with cancer to the Zoo-Ride the world famous track, lunch included.

Zoo Run Safri for Children's Raffle/Booze Raffle: @The Veterans Brotherhood

  It's February, which can only mean, it's time to get events kicked off around here. And what better way to get started than a chance to get your shinny hot rides out and show off your hard work.

The 51st Annual World of Wheels show in Birmingham is the perfect place to showcase your rides and for a weekend of fun for a family outing.

The O'Reilly World of Wheels Custom Auto show is an event that folks in Tennessee and Alabama have looked forward to for many years, it kicks off the year for most. The people of Tennessee have welcomed this event for 54 years now, and during that long run, there have been many beautiful rides to see and many characters from around the south to meet, but one that comes to mind first that has been a permanent fixture of the show, according to organizer, Sonny McLean:

                     Photo’s & Article By: Christin Elders

18YRS COUNTING AND GROWING!!! Another beautiful year with some beautiful people... The precious Children, amazing bikers, beautiful car show, and so much more. Let's not forgot the wonderful food they serve each year; the Gintown Lowlife Society Family 11th year. And it only gets bigger and bigger. Such a heartwarming feeling. Not just the first time we go but every time. This is what we do and are about! Period.

  The Stars were shinning bright here in Alabama the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the Zoo Run Safari for Children's Stars that is, prompting Santa (Stephen Whitley) to make a special early appearance just to have breakfast with them. He brought the "Magic Man", Larry Moore with him to entertain the kids and make balloon creations for them.

  Once again due to Covid, the rally was on then off then back on again. But in the end the powers that be in Panama City Beach, Florida decided to go ahead with the Fall Rally much to the excitement of the rally goers who’ve been waiting to get out and ride and get back to some kind of normalcy.

  Last year, there was no Vintage Festival due to Covid, this year the Festival is on and in the days leading up to it, wouldn't you know, it's raining up a storm around here, so it would be just a little damp around the edges as people came in to set up in the Swap Meet area. But by Friday, the sun was shinning bright in the sky sending down a rainbow as if to put its stamp of approval on the weekend.

                         Photos By: Christina “Shooter" Edwards

This past Labor Day weekend, I was invited by my sister, Andrea “ Squeaky” Forte to ride in the 9 th annual Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association’s Fallen Brothers Ride.

This was my first ride and not having participated before I had nothing to compare it to but now I know there’s nothing to compare it to. Throughout the year she and I had discussed all the pre-event planning. The planning can easily take 6 months or more for a gathering of this nature. There are a lot of nuts and bolts to put together for a successful ride, not to mention the safety issues.

  On Saturday, October the 16th, the Veterans Brotherhood was once again, the host of the Zoo Run Raffle/Booze Raffle benefiting Children's of Alabama, it was also the birthday of Brotherhood member, Ross Jones, who's girlfriend, Nikki cooked Chili to feed everyone. Alabama was plying on the big screen, which meant that the house was a buzz with excitement and activities.

  Well God blessed us with an absolutely beautiful day for a run to the Zoo on Saturday, September the 25th, 2021. The only thing missing was our Star families. This Covid mess has really had things turned upside down for way too long now.

A nice long motorcycle ride can be a fun way to get outside and enjoy a nice sunny day. But what if the weather isn’t so nice? Riding in extreme weather conditions such as strong rain and snow can be dangerous, and potentially result in a deadly accident. But while it’s advisable to avoid riding in these conditions, sometimes riders have no choice. 

  My girls, Cindy Lou & Kelly Kimari , loaded up the truck and trailer and hit the road early Thursday morning, August the 5th, headed for the 81st Annual Sturgis Rally. We asked them to be our roving photojournalist for this trip so that we all could experience Sturgis, at least through their eyes....since not all of us are fortunate enough to get to do that experience in person. Cindy Lou is a Sturgis virgin and has been looking forward to making this journey with her good friend, veteran Sturgis goer, Kelly      

  On Saturday, August the 14^th, the Veterans Brotherhood hosted one of their famous Chow Call's...with a twist, a Bike Wash courtesy of the girls from Gin Town Lowlife Society.

   What better way to splash into the heat of summer, than to splash into the river to shoot the rapids (sorta kinda :-) and float on your raft for a leisurely cruise down the river. And some of these rafts are quiet literally making a statement! It was like a river float parade.

                It’s 6:00 a.m. and we’re on our way to Georgia with some of our fellow Charity Riders club members and closest friends. There are six of us headed for a weekend getaway and we couldn’t be happier! Who wouldn’t be happy to get away for some much needed wind therapy, not sure where all it will take you? There is so much beauty to be found in our great state of Alabama, and trust me, we have seen a lot, but we’re ready to see some new sights and venture upon some new long and winding roads we’ve never been before. The mountains are calling to us, and we have answered the call, so off we go!

  I'm glad we at least KNOW folks that get to go have some awesome adventures, also glad that they come back and share that experience with us all. Our friend Christopher Litteral with the Alabama Law Tigers group was there with his team, giving away a “glamping” experience” and brought us back some cool pictures from their time there, he also got to meet Loretta Lynn’s grand daughter…how cool is that!!

  On Sunday, June the 13th, hundred's of people rolled into the Moody Civic Center to honor and pay respects to a couple of their fallen hero's.

It was a beautiful, all be it a little hot, (so hot, that a few of the people had issues by the end of the ride) Sunday afternoon as motorcycle after motorcycle rolled into the parking area with many jeeps and cars mixed in. The Moody police chief was on hand to speak before the ride left and afterwards when the ride returned.