Truth is that without Jon Towle illustrations, Bikernet would have been a profitable enterprise two years ago. Without his Nick the Dick Cartoon series we wouldn’t be banned from book stores around the country.
We felt is was essential to recognize the truly creative spirit behind Bikernet and the HORSE. Shortly after Jon left Easyriders, the company went bankrupt and just recently their message board was removed from the Yahoo because the stock tanked.
You can thank Jon for that. We better get to the news before his ego is blown even farther out of proportion:
RAPID CITY UNDER FLAMES–Families return home and praise firefighters,By Heidi Bell Gease, Journal Staff Writer.HAYWARD — As Steve Rafferty unloaded belongings from his vehicle Wednesday afternoon, he noticed every fire truck that drove past his Hayward home.
“I always make a point to wave, because you just can’t be grateful enough,” he said, five days after the Battle Creek Fire forced him and his neighbors from their homes.By Wednesday, the fire had burned 11,500 acres and destroyed three homes. But firefighters made good progress Wednesday, with help from an afternoon rain shower. As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, the blaze was 65 percent contained, with full containment expected by 6 p.m. Saturday. Fire officials believe the fire was man-caused, but it remains under investigation.
MARTHA STEWART’S TIPS FOR REDNECKS–
Never take a beer to a job interview.
* Always identify people in your yard before shootingat them.
It’s considered tacky to take a cooler to church.
* If you have to vacuum the bed, it is time to changethe sheets.
* Even if you’re certain that you are included in thewill, itis still considered tacky to drive a U-Haul to thefuneral home.
–from Nuttboy
BIKE SHOPS WANTED TO SELL ORWELL–If you own a bike shop or know of one, we have a deal for you and them. Dealer price is $9.00 a book and a dozen books is delivered with a counter card and a window poster. Plus, we’ll post your bike shop banner at no cost on our links page. If you turn us on to a shop that becomes a dealer, we’ll send you a signed copy of Orwell, and it won’t cost you a red cent.
BADLANDS RALLY 2002 HARD TO FIGURE–By Bill Harlan, Journal Staff Writer (Rapid City).
Estimating attendance at the Sturgis motorcycle rally is a favorite annual guessing game in the Black Hills, but state and local officials say traffic patterns for this year?s event, which ended Saturday, strongly suggest one conclusion.
“I will be horrendously surprised if attendance is not up dramatically from last year, ” state regional traffic engineer Dan Staton said. “What else could be the explanation for the gridlock?”
Eastbound traffic had slowed to a crawl Saturday afternoon on Interstate 90, from New Underwood to Wall, as thousands of bikers headed for home.
Several hundred thousand motorcyclists attend the week-long event each year.
Staton and other state and local officials spoke to reporters Saturday afternoon at the community center in Sturgis, even as last-minute rally-goers thronged to nearby Main Street for one last beer, one last T-shirt, one last tattoo, one last Hawaiian pheasant burrito or maybe just one last look at the biggest temporary motorcycle community on earth.
Data from traffic counters will be available in a week or two, Staton said, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support the big-rally theory.
Sturgis Mayor Mark Zeigler said motorcycles were parked farther into residential neighborhoods south of Main Street than any previous year. “I think we?ll see record numbers,” he said.
Sturgis Police Chief Jim Bush said traffic was so heavy Thursday and Friday he ordered officers to make arrests only for “something major.”
He needed all available officers to direct traffic. “We just couldn?t get around,” he said…
Watch for the complete report coming in the next couple of day in our complete Sturgis Coverage from TBear (already posted), Joes, Frank Kaisler, The Rapid City Journal and more.
SNEAK PREVIEW OF BIKERNET PROJECT BIKE–This photograph was taken by Frank Kaisler in Sturgis of Arlen Ness’ 1928 Shovelhead. Nice scoot. We are in the process of finishing a similar Shovelhead at Dallas Easyriders. The sheetmetal is currently at Harold Ponteralli’s shop in Vacaville for paint. Big Jim from Easyriders was responsible for most of the fabrication. We’re hoping for a bike with as much style as Arlen’s creation. You can check techs in the Bikernet Garage.
HELLS ANGELS TAKING ONTARIO TO COURT– By NANCY CARR– Canadian Press TORONTO (CP) — A prominent Hells Angel has launched a lawsuit against the Ontario government,claiming his constitutional right to free association was denied when he wasdismissed from a government committee because of his association withthe biker club. Donny Petersen, 54, was dismissed from a committeethat reviews training standards for motorcycle technicians in January 2002,after serving less than two years of his three-year term. “Simply because he’s a member of the Hells Angels, thegovernment has decided he’s not fit to serve on the committee and notfit to serve the rest of his term,” Petersen’s lawyer, Morris Cooper, saidTuesday.
Petersen left Toronto for a Hells Angels tour ofEurope after filing the suit last week and was unavailable for comment. In his affidavit, Petersen, who has no criminalrecord, said he has always been up front about his involvement with the group. “My membership in a motorcycle club has always beenand continues to be an important part of my personal belief system inindividual freedoms and defiance of arbitrary and unlawful authority,” thedocument reads. “Contrary to innuendo, the Hells Angels in Ontario arenot a criminal organization nor has any such finding been made in anycourt.”
Most law enforcement agencies, however, have adifferent view. “The Hells Angels are an outlaw motorcycle gang,” saidprovincial police Det. Insp. Don Bell. “The police recognize outlawmotorcycle gangs as the No. 1 organized crime priority in the province.” Police believe the gang is involved in importing anddistributing drugs, trafficking firearms and explosives, extortion, fraud,prostitution and money laundering. In Ontario, 83 per cent of the group’s members have acriminal record, Bell said.
But Petersen’s lawyer said his client’s case affectsall citizens, not just the Hells Angels. “The issue is to look beyond that the applicant is DonPetersen and look at the implications of what the government has done here,”Cooper said. “It’s a well-established cause of concern that whenone individual’s freedoms are imperilled all of our freedoms are imperilled.” In February 2000, Diane Cunningham, the minister oftraining, colleges and universities, appointed Petersen to a committee toassess apprenticeship training programs for mechanics. In a letter to Petersen, Cunningham said his”expertise and experience” would be an asset to the government.
–from Rogue
George Christie, the President of the Ventura Chapter has a case going with the Ventura, California city officials for attempting to ban the Ventura members and members of any club from attending the Ventura County fair.
RIDE TAHITI–Have you ever see any of the Mutiny on the Bounty movies? Wonder where theyfilmed all those breath taking beach scenes? Have you ever dreamt of taking offto some far away tropical paradise and riding into the sunset with abeautiful Polynesian honey? Ahh, we thought so! Got you hooked, huh?
How about if we tell you we are working on a deal to get you there forless than you’d spend on your next run to Daytona or Sturgis? “Hey Bear,what are you, smoking crack?”
Nope. Currently myself and the good folks athere at Bikernet are working on a deal with Air Tahiti Nui and the SofatelHotel chain to get you to Tahiti for under $1,000. The details are stillhush-hush but here’s what we’re currently negotiating:
Round trip air from L.A. to Papaete, Tahiti
One weeks stay at the magnificent Sofatel La Ora Hotel on the island ofMoorea in a deluxe beach bungalow
And if that wasn’t enough, we’ll have the Tahiti Harley Riders Club meetyou, put your butt on bike for a day and give you a guided tour of theirmagnificent island paradise.These guys will show you why their islands are world famous for theirhospitality.
Make new friends and come home with stories and pictures to amaze yourfriends.
This deal is still in the works and we’re pumping hardto sweeten the pot for you. I’m heading back to Tahiti this October to workout the details.
The Tahiti Harley Riders are a not for profit organization who workclosely with handicapped children in Tahiti. They made the contacts with theSofatel Hotel and Air Tahiti Nui and when we met at Sturgis, they asked if Icould help them get the word out. They want to encourage biker tourism toTahiti and in turn help raise funds for their childrens’ charity on the island. Part of the plan is to establish a raffle or contest to allow a couple of Bikernet readers to take the trip for free.
Bandit and I immediately hopped on the band wagon. Bikers are world famousfor having big hearts. This is a way to help out some kids and have a tripof a lifetime in the process.Stay tuned to Bikernet for details as they unfold.
–TBear
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