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NOVEMBER 2009 ThuNdER ROads WEsT ViRgiNia 1www.t n erro wv.com


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Copyright 2009. Published by Thunder Roads West Virginia, LLC under licensefrom Thunder Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this magazines contentmay be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility and is not to be held liable for errors beyond the costof the space occupied by the error, slander of any group or individual, failure toproduce any issue as scheduled due to reasons beyond our control, any andall suits for libel, plagiarism, copyright infringement, and unauthorized use of apersons name or photograph. Opinions and claims made by advertisers andauthors are their own, and do not necessarily represent the policy of Thunder Roads West Virginia, Thunder Roads Magazine, or Thunder Publishing. ThePublisher does not promote the abuse of alcohol or other drugs.

Letter From The Editor.....................4

Passing Gas Part II...................6

Bike s Tober s Fest......................9

Ride For Sight......................12

Bike of the Month........................13

I Feel the Heat......................14

Hidden Highways....................16

Veterans Day Remembere d..................17

Center Calendar......................18

Fall Colors Ride......................20

Skin Art.............................22

Rebel Run.....................23

Dodging Raindrops....................24

Charleston Bike Night...................26

Seats & Saddles..........................27

Safety Survey.......................28

TNT.............................................................30

K.I.S.S. .......................................................31

Upcoming Events.......................33

The High Road........................35

The Joke rs Wild..........................36

ems as though the winter weather is already pouncing uponusual best riding month of the year like my dog on left-over. In order to keep my sanity I like to think back to the rides

ll seasons past. The beautiful fall colors, the crisp cool airmy ride loves to breathe, the clear empty roads and then theres lit to keep warm as the sun sets ever earlier in the day.

e this time of year. Ok, maybe not the thought of the slow,tual ending of the riding season but the changes that arerently clear as the leaves turn colors. The changing of theons reminds me of the ever changing lives we all lead andthankful we ought to feel for all that we have. We need toankful for the opportunity we have been given to feel the

dom of road, the wind in our faces, and closeness to natureays that many will never understand or have the chance to

w.

y have fought and died for us to have those opportunities. Ihankful to those that have given so much, thankful for myly and thankful for my friends, both old and new whichincludes you, the readers of Thunder Roads West Virginia.

hout you there would be no reason to write this excitingazine about our great state and the awesome roads hidden We all share a passion that now has an outlet for each andyone one of us. Thank you, West Virginia, for embracingdream and sharing in it.

As I had mentioned before Thunder Roads West Virginia is amagazine about anything and everything motorcycle related inthis ne state and we want to hear from you, our fellow riders,

about your rides, your favorite roads (if you will actually sharethat information with all of us), and the events that mean somuch to you or your group. We would like to help riders knowwhere and when things are happening before they happen. Faceit, we all want to ride and if we can ride to bene t a great causeit makes it even better. So keep us in the loop. With the holidays fast approaching I would also like to remindeveryone that there are many who do not have the basiccomforts that most of us enjoy so please remember to givewhere you can. Whether it is your time or money, we all havesomething to contribute and as I have said before, the bikingcommunity does more for those in need than most. Besides,giving to others is one of the best gifts you can give to yourself.You can and will make a difference in somebodys life.

Heres wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season!

Ride safe and keep the shiny side up!

Donna

Dragon Tales THUNDER RoADS WEST VIRGINIAP.O. Box 606 / Charles Town, WV 25414www.thunderroadswv.comoWNER / EDIToRSGary Westphalen, Editor-in-Chief

[email protected] / 304-616-0102

Donna K. Westphalen, CFO / [email protected]

LAyoUT & DESIGN

Barbara Laszewski Garner / Thunder Publishing

AD LAyoUT

Meredith Hancock / Hancock Graphics

CoNTRIBUToRS

Mary Hendley / Ken Holby / James IrleJim Jammer Marcum / Frank Stull

ADVERTISING SALES / DISTRIBUTIoN

Donna K. Westphalen - 304-261-1609 / [email protected]

Greg Vernon 304-616-0249 / [email protected]

Moe Vetter - 304-668-9563 / [email protected]

Dave Luksa - 304-268-1315 / [email protected]

Curtis Humphreys - 276-620-8965 / [email protected]

Laurie Griggs - 540-353-5695 / [email protected]

Howard Pops Evans - 540-327-6588 / [email protected]

NATIoNAL FoUNDERS

Toni McCoy Shearon & Brian ShearonPO Box 174 / Chapmansboro, TN 37035Of ce 615-792-0040 / Fax: 615-792-7580

email: [email protected]

ON THE COVER

James Cosner takes home the hardware from theBike s Tober s Fest Bike show. His gorgeous horse won boththe Custom and Peoples Choice trophies. See the full storybeginning on page 9.



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m not one to get all squishy and emotionalout stuff. But this is November, the month in which we pausegive thanks. So, I do have a short list of people that I woulde to thank for their help in making Thunder Roads West ginia a blazing success in just a few months time.

the top of the list is Donna, my wife and partner in thisdeavor. Not only is she the greatest riding partner a biker uld ever have (she can wrench with the best of you), but shea brilliant business person. Her background includes yearsrunning companies of all sizes, including a multi-million dollar ernational company. I may write and edit the magazine, but

is the boss. D onna, thank you.

xt on the list is a tie, but Ill start with you. Yes you, dear der of this magazine, thank you. Your support of Thunder ads West Virginia is the most crucial piece of the matrix.have received hundreds of letters, e-mails, phone calls, and

nversations expressing appreciation for what we are doinge. It is extremely gratifying to be told by our brothers anders on two wheels that West Virginia needs this, or your gazine is excellent, and my favorite when is the next issue

ming out? In just three issues we have managed to buildellowship with you in every part of the state, from Harpersry to Huntington, Blue eld to Beach Bottom, and every placebetween. Your participation in keeping us up to speed on

ents, as well as the many wonderful contributions of photosd articles we have already received from you, are the heartd soul of what we do. Thank you, dear reader.

e other half of that tie for second place is our advertisers. Toadvertisers, thank you. Pl aces like Nan N Pops, Evel Speed,

gle Rider, and others. Although Thunder Roads Magazinebeen published in other states for as much as ten years,

re had never been a West Virginia edition. Yet, even withoutroven track record in The Mountain State, these biker friendlyablishments believed in us. They put their money where their uth is, and invested in our rst few issues. We would haveed without them. But that investment has paid off for them,well as us. Their belief that Thunder Roads West Virginia uld be a great way for them to put their businesses on thep has proven to be true. And as the advertiser list grows, I

ntinue to be thankful for each and every one of you.

There are other individuals who deserve a special thank you.James Irle of Phase2Images. James captures the wonderfulimages of beautiful West Virginia bikes and girls for our center calendar every month. Bud Swiger from Clarksburg. Budbefriended me the rst time I rolled into town for the weeklybike night downtown. He has been spreading the word, andcopies of our magazine, like a modern-day Johnny Appleseed.Moe Vetter of Moore eld. M oe contributed articles and picturesbefore we even published our rst issue. He has continued todo so, and now represents our sales division in a 5 county regionof east-central West Virginia. My old bro, Greg Vernon. WhenI told him what we were doing, Greg bagged his adopted lifein California and came back home to West Virginia to manageour advertising sales efforts. Governor Joe Manchin III. WhenI showed up at the State Capitol in August to cover the story of his Freedom Ride to Summersville, the Governor welcomed mewith open arms. The photo of Mr. Manchin smiling and wavingas he rode by my camera that day has made our Premier Issuecover the stuff of legend.

This list is by no means complete, but Im out of space. Lets putit this way. If I know you, if I have met you, if you have read somuch as one word of this magazine, you have enriched my life.And I give thanks for you.

Gary

West Virginia One year subscription to Thunder Roads is only $The nations largest FREE biker publicationcan be delivered right to your door.

Name___________________________________

Address_________________________________

City____________________________________

State_________________ Zip_______________

Make Check payable to: Thunder Roads West Virginia

Mail check and this form to: Thunder Roads West VirginiaP.O. Box 606Charles Town, WV 25414

Bye-Bye

It is a very emotional time for me right now, as I have to annouthat the decision has been made that we will no longer be buildinBuell Motorcycles, said a choked-up Erik Buell on October 15as he announced the end of the line for Harley-Davidsons foray the sportbike market. The news surprised everyone in the motoindustry, especially the 180 employees in East Troy, Wisconsinwho have been building the bikes. Buell has been a wholly-ownsubsidiary of Harley-Davids on since 1998. Buel l was founded bBuell in 1983, and has produced over 135,000 bikes.

The company line from Harley-Davidson is that this is an effort tstrengthen the company by increasing focus on the H-D core braSales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles have dropped by a tin the past year, and the motor company has laid off over a thousemployees. The Harley plant in York, Pennsylvania is still hangthe balance, and its fate may be decided within the next few mo

Harley-Davidson will stand behind Buells full warranty, said Buell. Bikes that have already been built will be sold, but it is ethat the Buell factory will be shuttered before the end of the year

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with higher amounts of ethanol than the 10 percent allowed by law, wehadnt found any. Over the past month we have continued to test gas froma variety of stations across the state, and still havent found any illegallyhigh ethanol blends.

Youll recall that we told you an ounce of water in a gallon of 10%Ethanol gasoline could cause phase separation, a condition in whichthe alcohol chemically bonds with the water and this mixture separatesfrom the gasoline and sinks to the bottom of your tank. If you believe thishas happened, you have no choice but to drain the tank and discard thecontents.

But discussing this issue with mechanics from a variety of shops acrossthe state has revealed some intriguing new facts. And from these facts,some theories have formed. The rst thing were nding out is that this isnot much of a problem for fuel injected bikes. In carbureted engines, thesmaller the bike the greater the problem becomes.

This gives rise to the theory that the phase separation isnt necessarilyhappening in the gas tank. It may very well be happening downstream inthe oat bowl of the carburetor. There is only a small quantity of gasoline in

the bowl. And the smaller the engine , the smaller the carb and the smaller the bowl. In a oat bowl that contains just a teaspoon of fuel, a coupledrops of water is all it would take to generate phase separation.

One mechanic told Thunder Roads West Virginia about a technique heuses that adds support to the oat bowl theory. He says that when a hardto start bike is brought to him, he tips the bike on its side, which allowsthe fuel in the oat bowl to drain out through the over ow vent. Once thebike is uprighted, fresh fuel re lls the oat bowl. This usually clears up theproblem, and the bike will start right away.

Since fuel is fed from near the bottom of the tank, and gas oats on top of water, its easy to understand that if there is any water in the tank, it willhave an easy time nding its way to the oat bowl. Although it may not be

way 55 has long been one of our favorite roads. And now thatridor H has been built from Wardensville to Moore eld, theh of what used to be Highway 55 between these two towns

en better. The new super -slab takes all of the chicken trucks andans, leaving the old highway all but deserted. Riding this 35 mileh of mountain twisties without cage traf c always makes us smile.st always, that is.

another picture postcard day as Donna and I threaded our way throughundant lefts, rights, ups and downs that make up this rollercoaster

day run. The thick canopy of trees overhanging our nearly-privateround of Old 55 only breaks as we crest ridge after ridge and getglimpses of the next valley lled with farms and hometowns. This is

Virginia riding at its nest.

g the way home, Donna stopped for a ll-up. My bikes larger tankad more than enough gas to get home, so I passed. I didnt knowhe time, but that was a wise choice. About 30 miles later, I see her for the fuel petcock to switch to reserve as she throws me a low onsignal. A few miles later, we are both still trying to solve this puzzling

scenario as we pull into another gas station. The bike had begun missingas though it was running out of fuel, and the switch to the reserve outlet hadtemporarily cleared up the problem. But it only took a gallon or so to top itoff at this second station. So clearly, the bike wasnt lacking fuel.

For the rest of the day it was hard to start, seemed down on power, andwas running rough. A quick chat with her mechanic provided the answer:

They have been nding a lot of bikes having problems with Bad Gas.By this point enough of the gas had been passed that a ll of some freshfuel was enough to ush away the problem. But this incident set Thunder Roads West Virginia on a months-long journey to examine the matter.

In last months article, we explained the hazards of the ubiquitous 10%Ethanol blend that we have been forced to pump into our tanks. Abouthow some experts say it has a shelf life of only around three months, howit dissolves rubber and soft metals, how the alcohol can absorb water andseparate from the gasoline - sinking to the bottom of your tank, and how itcan ruin your bikes performance and even shorten its life.

We also conducted our own test of fuels purchased at a variety of stationsaround the state. Although we have heard reports of gasoline being sold

enough water to cause problems in the tank, it can easily small amount of ethanol blended gas at this point. Its just aevidence does seem to lend it some credence.

In fairness to ethanol, it does have selling points. It is a clethat is a lot greener than the octane boosters of the past and its replacement, MTBE. Ethanol proponents also argbring down the volume of oil imported by the United Statesaround for a while, and were likely to see its use increase.

So what can you do to protect your bike? Theres no magihave assembled a few suggestions from a variety of sources

If you want to use any fuel additive or octane booster, be sulabel. Most of them contain ethanol, and adding extra ethaisnt going to solve any problems.

For an added level of security, consider using a fuel with anof 90 or above. At least then, if phase separation happenthe remaining gasoline will still have an octane rating high your engine running well.

Keep your engine in top condition. Follow the manufactuand maintenance schedules closely. Perform regular chdelivery system parts that may be vulnerable to ethanols solvPlastics, rubber hoses and seals are most vulnerable.

If you have any doubts about the water and alcohol contenyour local station, test it yourself. Although getting accurataccurate measuring of your samples, the test itself is not dif

Finally, the best advice of all that we have been able to ndgas from stations that have a high volume of traf c. This in their tanks is probably fresher and has less water contamthen, the ethanol blended gasoline may have a short shelfshucks - youll just have to keep on riding.

Passing GasPart II

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IKEw

TOBERw

FESTBIKE SHOW

Th pa ty got sta t d on F iday night with a a aocont st. On Satu day it was tim to put th

ic stands up as th bi s oll d out fo a po unto suppo t th WV chapt of th Chi f P tty Of c s Association of th U. S. Coast Gua d. Th CPOAp ovid s assistanc to th famili s of Coast Gua dp sonn l who a inju d o los th i liv s in th linof duty. Th o ga nization also suppo ts oth localcha ity ffo ts.

As th bi s oll d f om Nan & Pops th id th oughMa tinsbu g was non-stop, than s to th B l yCounty Sh iffs d pa tm nt sco ts. Its p obablya good thing th y didnt s that wh li on of th bi s pull d downtown. Sinc th un sta t dat fou in th aft noon, th sun was s tting by thtim th thi d ca ds w d awn. Da n ss, alongwith a distinct d op in t mp atu had s ttl d ov th land as bi s tu n d to th hom bas . ButPops had th pit in th middl of th b ga d nblazing away, and hands and nos s quic ly wa m dup. Insid , music by J-Facto was b inging down thhous . Chi f Jo C ag po ts that w ll ov $600 was ais d fo th CPOA.

Th main v nt fo Sunday was th bi show. WhilPops h ld cou t a ound th pit, th judg s st oll dup and down a tasty lin -up of scoots just outsidth b ga d n f nc . Anxious bi s couldnt h lpbut p ov th f nc to s if th y could adth judg s minds. Th vot was clos , but Jam sCosn od away with two Fi st Plac t ophi s. H

g abb d th ha dwa fand th P opl s Choic ,th opinions of both th juth ass mbl d mass s. TJam s on this months covColby Patt sons bi tohono s in th Stoc cat gwas a g at lin -up of biThunder Roads West Virginiwould li to than v

nt d.

In all, BIkew TOBerw FeST a g at succ ss and a lot oall. Nan & Pops hav bign xt y a s pa ty, so savvacation tim fo n xt Oc

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Harley-Davidson may boast loud and long abostyling of its modern day line-up of motorcyone of the homeliest offerings ever made bCompany that may well have allowed H-D to sDepression. It was 1932 when the Model Gintroduced for a retail price of $450. The Sean immediate hit as a workhorse vehicle for eveCream vendors to Police Departments.

The trike is also one of the longest lasting mDavidson has ever made, with production amazing 42 year period. The trikes were police departments well in the 1990s. The orinch side-valve V-twin was replaced in 193inch Knucklehead. Over four decades of prinnovations such as reverse gear, disc brakes amade appearances in the Servi-car line-up as w

With a top speed of around 60 miles per hourwas easy to ride, requiring minimal training. same 42 inch wheel track as most cars of the dto make use of their ruts through mud and snow

This 1961 Police Special version is an all-oriowned by Rodney McGowan of Inwood. Onfeatures of the police special is the siren, whiatop the front fender. By engaging a lever neacontrols, the rotary siren forces a drive wheel atire and things get very loud.

By the way, dont believe the odometer. Th e cand Rodney is in the process of getting areplacement. Its not exactly an off-the-shelyear old bike. But that little blemish didnt stofrom taking rst place in the recent Martinsbbike show held at the Almost Home Bar & Gri

Congrats,Rodney

B I K E O F T H M O N T H Rodney

s Servi-Car

Ride for Sighters, we take our ability to see the road ahead of us aser of course. But for the blind and visually impaired,t of sight isnt such a simple thing. They often have ton others for help with transportation and other servicesp them live a normal life in our society. In the two western-counties of the state, that role is lled by the Cabell-Wayneiation of the Blind.

the 34-year-old organization was planning its 7th annual 5KRun for Sight event to raise funds, Frank Stull had another As a staff member of the Association, as well as First Of cer Southern Cruisers Riding Club Metro Valley Chapter 067, Stulld he would rather ride than walk. So, in conjunction with the organized a 115 mile Ride for Sight.

es of all makes and models rolled out to, as Frank put it, enjoycompany, beautiful scenery, and a chance to aid a worthy They accomplished all three goals, raising $640 for CWAB.



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The elation lasted well into December. But when the temps fell into the tiny 30smy legs, and especially knees, would get so bone-chillingly cold that I still had topark the bike.

Long before the next spring came around, my gear closet was packed eventighter by the addition of electric over pants. Warm hands, warm legs, Im good togo. Thats where my story ends, because Im afraid that if I added a heated vestor jacket, I would never stop ridingto the point where I would probably push mybikes tires beyond the adhesion point on ice or snow covered roads. Denyingmyself this next piece of heated gear is a sort of a safety valve. But if you havemore self-control, dive right in.

It wasnt that long ago that there w ere really only two or three brands of heatedmotorcycle clothing. But do a quick internet search, and youll nd more than adozen brands on the market. And its not just gloves, pants and vests anymore.Todays biker can wrap the entire body in active warmth without sacri cing style.Theres even one company that makes leather chaps with an electrically heatedlining.

The quality has gotten better, too. Early electric gear had stiff, uncomfortableheating wires knit into the fabric. The result was hot and cold spots along with alot of discomfort from the wires. Todays gear uses thinner wires and pads thatdistribute the heat more evenly. It is easy to stay comfortable in ridiculously lowtemperatures.

Installation of the wiring harness for heated clothing is as easy or as dif cult asyou want to make it. In most cases, power is fed by way of a couple of leads thatget attached to your bikes battery terminals. The controllers for most brandscan be permanently mounted on the bike, temporarily m ounted on a hook-and-loop patch, or stuffed in a pocket and not mounted to the bike at all. Naturally,

heat feel the the more permanent you mount the controller, the less loose hanging wiring thatyou have to deal with. The Thunder Roads West Virginia Yamaha FJR has a

permanent controller mounted in the fairing, with only a single temperature controlknob and the power cord that connects to the clothing visible. Our H arley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic prefers the unmounted method.

There is one issue that you need to pay close attention to when it comes timeto give in to the need for heat. You can not run more heated clothing than your bikes electrical system is capable of handling. Some math is involved here, andeven then the answer is a moving target.

Lets look at one popular national brand of high quality heated motorcycle clothing.The jacket draws 77 watts of power from your motorcycles electrical system. Thepants pull another 44 watts. Throw in the gloves at 27 watts and heated insolesat another 15 watts, and you have a wonderfully warm rider, whose suit is sucking166 watts from the bikes charging system.

But thats just the start of the equation. You have to add the draw of all of thelights, and other juice-gobbling toys you have hanging on your scoot to the drawfrom the heated clothes. The total energy used by all of these gizmos must beless than the output of your bikes charging system. If they arent, the batteryhas to make up the difference. You wont get very far down the road before thesystem simply runs out of power. While pushing your bike back home may also

keep you warm, its certainly not the intended goal.

turn our calendars to the eleventh month, all but the most stubborn of have dropped off the trees. With the end of daylight savings time, thets off work before most humans do, and the temperature seems to drophe horizon along with it. The skies and highways are lled with snowbirdsng south. Welcome to November.

any bikers, these signs are Natures way of saying that the riding season isaway. While they may bravely throw on another layer or two and endure

ill for those last couple of rides, the days in the wind are numbered. Thatsteed will soon be stashed away in the smallest amount of garage spacele, back in the corner with the other icons of fair weather things like lawn garden hoses, and citronella candles.

the Diehards will suck it up, throw on those extra layers, and refuse to giveold noses. Stubborn lips forming words in slow motion. Hands and feetall feeling. Body parts so cold that it takes hours to warm up. And is that

ng grin on your face, or is it just frozen that way? The Diehards are a toughbikers, all right. I used to be one. I refused to give in to the cold of winter ass humanly possible. But there was always a point where, even if the roadslear, the temperatures would force me to call it quits.

ic motorcycle clothes have been around since the early 1970s. But nospecting biker would wear something as sissy as that, I thought. It wasntust three Novembers ago that I realized how completely wrong this was.s out that keeping a riders body warm and comfortable is the ultimate inspect.

ed with just a pair of gloves, manufactured by one of the leading electricnt makers. For the rst time, I could ride at forty degrees, and still work theontrols. Whoa! I swore I would never need another piece of electric gear.

For example, the charging system on the Yamaha puts out a nowatts at 5,000 RPM, or about half of the red line. With two higchewing a hundred watts each, and a half dozen turn signal anddrawing another hundred watts or so, there is somewhere arounpower to spare. Thats enough to power the heated clothing. Bunominal output at 5,000 RPM. At an i dle, does the suit overtsystem? Probably, but the machine can handle a negative draw of time. And if the headlights are on low beam, thats a few moThe equation changes constantly. Most large bikes should havehandling electric gear, but smaller bikes, with correspondingly systems, probably cant handle the load of a full suit. A good ruallow at least a 10% safety margin between power generation a20% is even better. Our example on the FJR clears the 10% hu20% margin, we would have to drop the heated insoles.

Of course, the suit doesnt continuously draw maximum powerbe medium-well in no time. Thats where the control unit comare simple On-Off switches. Thats cheap and it works, but youreaching for the switch all too often. There are more advanced there that do the switching for you. Most controllers use a systwidth modulation. The unit isnt a dimmer, but rather an electon-off switch. Full power pulses to the garment based on wh

If you have it set at half power, it will send electricity to the suithen turn off for half a second, then back on for a half second, an

The higher you turn it the warmer you get, and the greater the dcharging system. For me, it takes a very cold day to be past thecontroller, and the total power being drawn is quite a bit less thaSo while the maximum draw of the suit cannot exceed the margyour bike generates, in practice you will almost never draw theheated gear. And your bike isnt always generating the stated amChose your gear carefully, install it on your bike properly, and ltemperatures as you cruise the winter highways.

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your kicks on Route 66 So goes the oft-covered song about Americasfamous highway. In its hay day, the legendary road was the primary routeChicago to Santa Monica, California. The 2,448 mile road was commissioned6, and over the years it carried millions on an odyssey of Americana throughstates and three time zones. It ful lled dreams, it inspired artists, it claimedNo longer a contiguous well-marked route from Americas Heartland to then Coast of dreams, Route 66 - THE Route 66 has become a part of folklore.

West Virginia, 66 lives on. Though never even remotely connected with thedary route, the Mountain State version is a mere 17 miles in length. Frankly,of it isnt even that much fun as a bike road. Although it rolls through somecountryside, the western few miles of State Road 66 is kind of at and

g. But as the road rises up the western edge of a mountain ridge, the edgesr tires get a workout.

ghly the halfway point of 66, you drop down into the Greenbrier River Valleye town of Cass. Famous as the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, thislittle town provides a step back in time to the early 1900s. Cass was homeWest Virginia Pulp and Paper Mill. It once employed nearly 3,000 men

ut as much as 1.5-million board feet of lumber per week. The railroad linesgh here connected the vast stretches of vir gin timber on Cheat M ountain to

idden Highways

The Other Route 66

the mill at Cass, and then on to market.

The mill is gone now, having burned to the ground in two major res about threedecades ago. But the rails remain, and people come from far and wide to ride theold steam powered trains that take them back in time to the scenic vistas of thisincomparable area. Ride the train, stop for lunch, or just cruise on throughitsyour call.

Heading east from Cass takes you up and over another ridge, winding throughpristine forest until you nd the other end of the road, where it T-bones intoHighway 92/28. The fun isnt over, because this is a great road no matter whichway you choose to go. But even if you want to go south, do yourself a favor andgo a mile up the road towards Green Bank.

Here you will nd the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The 100-meter radio telescope is the worlds largest steerable antenna. Rising above a seeminglyimpenetrable forest, the juxtaposition of this gigantic dish with the unspoiledterritory surrounding it is a sight to behold. Stop in and take the tour. Its timewell spent.

West Virginias 66 may not be as famous as the asphalt ribbon of song, but thatsokay. It can be our little secret.

Now more than ever our soldiers and our veterans need our help

as they return home to a less than ideal situation back in the

US. Many have lost their homes, their jobs and their livelihoods

upon returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Sure many

Americans have lost much of the same during the past couple

years as our economy has tumbled and our lives have been

turned upside down by greedy corporations and unscrupulous

CEOs.

But many of our veterans have lost more than just material

things. They have suffered physically as well as mentally.Our government and the Veterans Administration have been

overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of vet erans needing support

physically, nancially and with medical attention. Its time, we as

a nation stepped up to the plate and do what we promised when

these military men and women took their oath to defend our

freedoms. Almost daily I receive reports and e-mails detailing

how our government, their government, looks at ways to cut

their bene ts to t our politicians ideas for a balanced federal

budget. Our elected of cials have no qualms about cutting into

the bene ts and programs that many of our veterans need just

to survive or to rebuild their lives. Many of these veterans are

left alone to fend for themselves as they ght for the rights they

were promised. Paperwork and BS block their path as they seek

what is rightfully theirs. We can not trust our elected of cials and

the government to take care of their needs anymore since many

of these same politicians worry more about what they can do for

themselves and their popularity and not about taking care of our

veterans and their needs.

So in this time of need, we the American people need to step

up and do what we can to provide the much needed support for

our veterans whenever and wherever we can. How you mightask? Look around you. There are plenty of organizations who

need your help as they go about taking care of our veterans

and their needs. And help may not necessarily be in the form of

money either although that is surely what they need most. But

sometimes all they need is your time.

Maybe you think your time is too important to give. Well, our

soldiers had the time to give. Time that they had to give up is

more like it. The time with their wife, their kids, their families.

The time to laugh. The time to shop. The time to be with friends.

Time to laugh out loud. The time to sleep quietly and comfortably

in their own beds in their own homes.

But they had plenty of time to worry about their loved ones. Time

to be alone and scared. Time to see their comrades bleeding and

dying in a far off land. And time to feel the pain as their own body

is decimated by IEDs and terrorist gun re. And they had the time

to pray, that they might come home safe and sound as they ght

for our freedoms.

So I think they deserve a little bit of our time, of your time. An

now is the time to help our veterans. You can help by providing

your time to assist wherever you can. Maybe it is only helping

to pack care packages to send to our veterans overseas. Or

driving a veteran to his doctors appointment. Or serving meals

at a Veterans Hospital or his/her home. Maybe it is just being

there when they need to talk. Is that too much to give fo

someone who has given so much? They do not ask. They do not

beg. And many attempt to do for themselves even though they

need our help. Veterans are a proud lot, as they should be. But

is it not us who should be proud of them and what they did for

our country? Volunteer, give money, give time, give assistance

so that our veterans can feel and receive the humble honors they

so richly deserve. Be proud America, of our veterans and for all

they do and sacri ce for us on a day to day basis. But be proud

in a way that counts. Show your support with either money or

with your time and let them know you care in a way that they can

see and feel. Give a little and but gain a LOT. You will forever be

rewarded with the satisfaction that can only come from helping

those who need your help.

As we honor our Veterans on Veterans Day on November 11th,

please take a moment and pray that they come home safe and

sound to their families. Pray but remember that as long as we

have to protect our freedoms from the terrorists and the evil they

do, we will have to send our sons and daughters to defend our

rights and the rights of our future generations.

And if you see a veteran, whether it be WWII, Korean, Iraq or

Afghanistan or Viet Nam, or just someone in the military who i

serving this great country of ours, walk up to them and shake

their hand, give them a big hug, and say Thank You so they

will know rsthand that a grateful nation does care that they

sacri ced so much for so many.

Remembered Veterans Day

By Joe Brinn,Thunder Road

NdER ROads WEsT ViRgiNia NOVEMBER 2009 NOVEMBER 2009 ThuNdER ROads WEsT ViRgiNia 17 www.t n erro wv.com


11/21

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d r i c k s B e n e f

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12/21

Fall Colors Ride Rally for one, Please

October is my favorite time of the year to go riding. The cool, crisp air of early fallkeeps me comfortable in my riding gear, makes the bike run smoother, and thepictures of the fall colors just that much sharper. So it is with great anticipationthat I walk out to the Thunder Roads West Virginia stable early on Friday morningto saddle up for a weekend run to a brand new rally called the Fall FoliageMountain Ride, to be based in Webster Springs.

Lets see. What should I ride? A Valkyrie? Tempting. The Heritage SoftailClassic? Also tempting. But its a long ride, there may be some weather alongthe way, and Im in a mood. The FJR, a super-sport touring bike, is just the thingto face down a mountain rainstorm and to take liberties with the recommendedspeeds through the mountain twisties. Oh, this is going to be fun.

There are blue holes in an otherwise cloudy sky as I roll out of the garage, and theweather forecast says the day should get nicer. But the longer I ride, the heavier the clouds become. The right turn at Seneca Rocks to head uphill on Highway33 towards Elkins also marks the rst rain splat on my faceshield. Within minutesthe rain has settled into a steady, but moderate pace. Its nothing my riding gear hasnt handled a thousand times before. Raise the electric windshield a fewinches, tuck into the dry bubble it provides, and press on.

For the next three hours I ride through this light rain. Two things make theweather mildly annoying. First, a day this wet doesnt make for good picturetaking. Second, Im on some fabulous roads that would be s-o-o-o-o much fun if the pavement werent slimy. But tomorrow should be awesome, so this is reallyno big deal.

Its pushing six oclock as I roll through Webster Springs and make the left turndown Hoover Street to the Mineral Springs Motel that is to serve as the homecamp for the weekends rides. Funny thing. I dont see any other bikes in theparking lot.

As I check in, proprietor C. Randy White tells me that Im the only one at his rally.But the man with a perpetual smile is undaunted by this lack of success. You see,hes been here before.

The motel is situated along side the Elk River. Some years ago, Mr. White got theidea to start a canoe rally in spring when the river is running high. His rst year had exactly two canoes. This year he was turning them away. So he knows thatit takes persistence to turn an idea for a rally into a successful showing.

Randy has prepared a packet of brochures highlighting the fun things to do andplaces to visit in and around Webster County. Theres the Kumbrabow StateForest, Holly River State Park, State Wildlife Center, Cranberry Wilderness, andon and on. Heres a brochure that says Im one week too early for the BurgooInternational Cook-Off, which is held in Webster Springs each year. It describesBurgoo as a highly seasoned stew made of any combination of fowl, game, other meats and vegetables. Theres a lot of latitude in this recipe, and Im betting theresults cover quite a range as well.

Randy has done one other thing for this rally of one. He has copiand highlighted three circuitous routes for bikers to make the mosphenomenal roads of the Webster Springs area. The map i ncludesplaces to visit, or to grab a bite along the way. All the elements arweekend of great fall colors riding. And you missed it.

So, okay. Theres no rally here. But being a solitary rider has nevin the least. A lazy evening of strolling around Webster Springs isnext morning by an enormous pile of eggs, hash browns, fried oniham, bacon, and sausage all blended together and mounded on a preferred to by the Main Street Caf as Garbage. I am having a cthe smallest rally in the world. And you missed it.

By now the morning fog has burned off and the day has already wpoint where I pack my warm gear instead of wearing it. The sun hbeautiful azure blue sky dotted with white puffys, and the roads haThe rally of one goes kickstand-up at 9:30am and the rest of the dfantastic roads, blazing fall colors, fabulous mountain vistas, and that perfectly matched my personal mood of the day.

And you missed it.



13/21

SK

IN

A

RT

Rebel Run

48 riders signed up for the 3rd annual Rebel Run, hosted by the American Legion Post13 in Clarksburg. The hardy riders started in the Legions parking lot and headed off - r st to PineGrove, then Hundred, Shinnston and nally back to where they started, visiting different AmericanLegion Posts at each stop.The mornings weather started out just like an average fall day with the temperature i n the mid50s. By the time the last rider made it back, it was close to 70 degrees, which made for perfectparty weather. The ri de was a tough, long one, but, as far as I know, we didnt lose any ridersduring the run. Theres nothing like West Virginia back roads to put dedicated riders to the test.

Fee Webb was the winner of the Slowest Bike contest and celebrated by standing on his bikeseat with trophy in hand. The food was great and the refreshments offered to wash it all down withwerent bad either. M ike Layne started the afternoons music off with some real nice solo tunesand the DBI band came on a bit later to carry on until it was time to go. I can honestly say I thinkeverybody who attended the event had a good time.

The Rebel Run was started 3 years ago tohelp out a local Legion member, John RebelLawson. John had developed cancer andneeded a little help with his medical bills, sothe run was created in his honor. Last year the run was dedicated equally betweentwo needy children, Dalton Dodd andGrace Meek. This year it was held for littleCambria Jozwick, who nearly lost a foot ina lawnmower accident. She was broughtto the event and with her small foot allbandaged, It was clearly evident she was

in need of a little assistance.Some of the of cers of the Legion whohelped in this years event were: DaleGrimes Jr., Richard Dick Fowler, DedeKelly, Mary Beth Oliverio and MaryMcNair and many more members Imsure I didnt mention. Our thanks go outto these dedicated people - they sureknow how to put on an event! I cantwait to see what they are going to puton for us on next years run.

Story & photos by Ken Holby

NdER ROads WEsT ViRgiNia NOVEMBER 2009 NOVEMBER 2009 ThuNdER ROads WEsT ViRgiNia 23www.t n erro wv.com


14/21

s raining. But a friend is in need and a ride has beenanized to help him. So put on the rain gear, along with thatniacal grin that seems to be synonymous with biking in awnpour, and hit the road.

ts what a group of riders from the Grafton, WV area didhey took part in a bene t run for John Jones, a native of ryburg. It was 45 years ago when John was diagnosedh Hepatitis, but it wasnt until last year that the disease

maged his liver to the point where he needs a transplant.

brellas and rain gear were already out before the ride.ps were falling hard by the time the bikes rolled out

m Grafton, and they wouldnt stop all day. But the rainnt stop the diehards who made the run to Cool Springs,ons, Elkins, Philippi, and nally ending at the birthplace

Anna Jarvis in Webster.

n and the rest of the bikers were greeted there by a largewd of dry folks. Food, friendship and Bluegrass roundedthe day. The event raised $3,500 to help John as heits a transplant at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Dodging Raindrops

NdER ROads WEsT ViRgiNia NOVEMBER 2009


15/21


16/21

Ambulance.any times every day, someones ride ends with those sounds and sights. Asas we like to shake this off and tell ourselves that its not our number gettingtoday, we can never be sure. Theres an old saying that goes, You dresscrash, not for the ride. That couldnt be more true. If we didnt have to think

crashing, most of us would ride naked, or very close to it.

THE CRASH is a very real part of motorcycling. Ride long enough, and youllStart looking at safety gear for bikers and youll nd that there are enoughs to make you dizzy. Thousands of options appeal to a range of forms,

ons, and styles.

er Roads West Virginia is preparing a series of articles about how to sortgh the choices. To get there, we want to know what you have and haventn, and why. For the purpose of this survey, lets ignore the fact that our stateates helmet use. Tell us what you would chose, if you had the option.

her you are a rider, or a back-seater, please take a few minutes to ll outuestionnaire and mail it back to us at the address listed on our masthead or better still, go to our website and ll it out online. Youll nd it at: www.erroadswv.com and clicking on the Safety Survey link. For questionsmore than one answer applies to you, mark all correct responses. To make

valid survey, please ll it out just one time per person.

See? That was easy. You didnt even have to cheat. We will your answers and examining the issues related to safety geaexperts for upcoming issues of Thunder Roads West Virginia .

By the time next spring rolls around and you start thinking abouratty old gear of yours with some new duds, youll at least be knowledge you need to make the right decisions.

Describe Yourself

1. I have been a motorcyclist:A) Less than one year B) Less than ve yearsC) Le ss than ten yearsD) More than ten years

2. My preferred bike is a:A) Cruiser B) Tourer C) SportyD) Dirt

3. I have crashed:A) OnceB) TwiceC) Three or more timesD) Not Yet

4. I have been injured enough to require medical treatment:A) OnceB) TwiceC) Three or more timesD) Not Yet

5. I am a resident of the state of: ______________________

Helmet

6. My helmet preference is:

A) Full Face (skip #8)B) Three-Quarter (skip #9)C) Half or Shorty (skip #10)D) None

7. My helmet preference is based on:A) Crash protectionB) Protection from noise and environmental elementsC) StyleD) ComfortE) Price

8. I dont like a full face helmet because:A) It is too con ningB) It restricts my visionC) It doesnt t my sense of styleD) I dont believe it is safeE) It is too expensiveF) Other:___________________________________

9. I dont like a three-quarter helmet because:A) It is too con ningB) It restricts my visionC) It doesnt t my sense of styleD) I dont believe it is safeE) It is too expensiveF) Other:___________________________________

10. I dont like a half helmet because:A) It is too con ningB) It restricts my visionC) It doesnt t my sense of styleD) I dont believe it is safeE) It is too expensiveF) Other:____________________________________

Jacket

11. When the weather is nice, the jacket I usually wear is:A) Motorcycle leather B) Ordinary leather C) Motorcycle textileD) Ordinary textileE) None (skip #12 and answer #13)F) Other:____________________________________

12. The elbows and shoulders of my favorite jacket have:A) Hard armor B) Soft paddingC) Both hard and soft protectionD) No extra protection

13. I dont wear a jacket because they are (skip this if you wear a jacket):A) Too hotB) Not comfortable in other waysC) No t my styleD) Other:____________________________________

Gloves

14. When the weather is nice, the gloves I usually wear are:A) Motorcycle leather B) Ordinary leather C) Motorcycle textileD) Ordinary textileE) Half gloves (textile or leather)F) NoneG) Other:____________________________________

Pants

15. The pants I usually wear are:A) Motorcycle leather B) Ordinary leather C) Motorcycle textileD) Motorcycle jeans with sewn-in abrasion padsE) Ordinary textileF) ShortsG) Other:___________________________________

Boots

16. The footwear I usually choose is: A) Leather motorcycle bootsB) Ordinary leather bootsC) Textile motorcycle bootsD) Ordinary textile bootsE) Dress shoes or loafersF) SneakersG) SandalsH) Other:___________________________________

On Being Seen17. What do you do to make yourself noticed by cagers?

A) I wear an orange or yellow safety vest.B) My riding gear is bright colors.C) I add extra lights and/or re ectors to my bike.D) I hang loud pipes on my bike.

E) Nothing. If they cant see me, they can go screw thF) Other:____________________________________

AFETY GEAR THE SURVEY CREECH!!! BANG!!! THUMP!!! EARTH!!! SKY!!! EART

rs Note: If you have been a Thunder Roads West Virginia reader from thees, you have seen this before. We ran this Safety Survey in our September

Premier issue. At the time, we believed our website would be functional h for you to complete the survey online. WRONG! But, were there now, soy this again. Our series of s afety gear stories will begin next month.)

NDER ROADS WEST VIRGINIA - SAFETY EQUIPMENT SURVEY



17/21

TNT PORK CHOPS STUFFEd W/ A SUN-dRIEdTOMATOES, SPINACH, GOAT & CREAM CHEESEVirgin Olive Oil (Keep in pour bottle next to stove)2 Cloves of Garlic; Minced (You can also buy pre-minced garlic in bottle in

produce refrigeration aisle)8 Sun-Dried Tomatoes - Diced (Again, in the dried fruit section of your grocers)

1 (10 oz.) Bag of Frozen Spinach; Thawed & Excess Water Wrung OutInto A Clean Kitchen Towel)

1 Full Palmful of Dried Thyme1 Block of Goat Cheese; Leave Out On Counter for At Least Half Hour to

Obtain Room Temp.)1 Block of Cream Cheese; Room Temp8 Center-Cut, Boneless Pork Chops1 Box of Chicken Broth1 Full Lemon for Zesting & Juicing4 tsps. of Dijon Mustard

Over medium heat, do a few laps around the pan with olive oil spout. Add your garlic and cook out for just a minute. Add the sun-dried dicedtomatoes, wrung-out spinach, salt & pepper to taste and thyme. Cook untilwell combined; another couple minutes. Transfer to med. bowl and addboth kinds of cheese and well blended. Set aside. Next, use a sharp knifeand cut a pocket onto the thickest portion of pork chops. Do not cut allthe way through to back. Just make a pocket. Stuff each pocket with your mixture. Do not overstuff. Pinch pocket closed. Add a few more turns of the olive oil, let warm and place chops backin same medium-hot skillet. Cook apprx. 4 mins. each side until goldenbrown. Remove to a platter and tent w/ alum. foil. Now, in a small bowl mixup box of chicken broth, entire lemon zest, 2 Tbls. of fresh lemon juice &Dijon mustard. Add broth mixture to skill et. Scrape up all those bottom-of-skillet bits as tons of avor there. Let cook down only about 5 mins. Spoonsome sauce over chops on platter, but also put excess sauce into a gravyboat for people wanting additional........and they will! This is such an easydish to make and even people who swear they dont like spinach will loveit prepared this way....wait and see. Phenom!

SUPER EASY, CREAMY PASTA W/ BACON

1 Pkg. of Linguine1 Med. Onion; Chopped (can buy pre-chopped)1 Tbls. Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves; Minced (can buy pre-minced)2 Tbls. All-Purpose Flour 1-1/2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream3 Eggs; Beaten8 Strips of Crisply Cooked Bacon

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan (buy in tub in cheese section at grCook linguine pasta. In a large skil let saute your onion in olitender. Cook your bacon on your broiler pan l ike I told you bdegree oven, 15 mins. and it comes out perfect! Add garlic tocook another minute. In small bowl, whisk our & cream ungradually into skillet. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduto med-low and let go for another minute until it thickens upheat. Stir in a small amount of hot mixture into bowl w/ eggsit so you wont end up w/ scrambled eggs; return all to the skto a gentle boil & cook apprx. 2 mins. longer. Add your drainto skillet. Stir in crumbled bacon & cheese. Mix thoroughly. authentic skillet supper and is meant for (4) but with two heait is gone, baby gone! Slurp!!

TOFFEE POKE CAKE

1 Pkg. Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix1 Jar Butterscotch-Caramel Ice Cream Topping1 Large Tub of Cool Whip

3 Large Size Heath Candy Bars; ChoppedMake cake according to directions. Cool, then place on serviUsing the handle of a wooden spoon, POKE holes all over Pour 3/4 cup of warmed caramel topping down into holes. Poover top of cake. Top generously with Cool Whip. Sprinkle ewith chopped Heath Bar candy. Refrigerate 2 hours before sesimple is this? and this is such a perfectly blended taste. Enj



18/21

UpComing EvEnts

NOVEMBER

November 7 Inwood, WVBene t Ride for Crazy Larry HendricksStarting at If es Sport Bar 7113 Winchester Avenue, Inwood,WV the cost is $15.00 pe r rider, $20.00 for two-up. Registrationstarts at 11:00 a.m. with kick stands up at 12:00 p.m. This scenicbene t ride ends at 2:00 p.m. at Evel Speed Custom Machine &Motor Sickl Shop where riders can register for a bike show andenter biker games. For more information contact Mike M. at (304)261-8397 or Dwain at (304) 229-0987.

November 7 Needmore, WVThe Christian Wilson Bene t Run and AuctionChristian is a 13 year old boy who is about to undergo his fourthoperation for a spinal disorder. The run will begin and end atSteves Broken Spoke on Old Route 55 in Needmore, WV withkickstands up at Noon. Following the run there will be an auctionof donated items, as well as food and drinks. To make donationsof cash or items for the auction contact Steve Bosley at (304)897-7706 or by email at [email protected]

November 21 S. Charleston, WVTurkey Bowling

The Turkey Bowling will be held on November 21, 2009 at theHarley Davidson of West Virginia in South Charleston, WestVirginia (WV) Dont miss an exciting and interesting time of bowling with Turkeys!! For more information about this eventcontact 304-768-1600, or visit http://www.wvharley.com



19/21

William Nighthawk HullFREE CELL PHONES & FREE SHIPPING

www.nighthawkswireless.comNative American Tribal design artist/tattoos

Native American Artist & Craftsman(304) 702-5805

or email: [email protected]

CUSTOM ART

Art by WeezeCustom art on bikes, leathers, helmets, auto,

canvas & muralsMartinsburg, WV(304) 264-4604

Email: [email protected]

DEALERS & SERVICES

Evel SpeedCustom Machine & Motor Sickl Shop

7323 Winchester AvenueInwood, WV 25428

(304) 229-0987www.EvelSpeed.net

O.B.s Motorsports1019 7th Street

Parkersburg, WV 26101(304) 420-0910

Motorcycles Shipped FREEwww.obsmotorsports.com

Romney Cycle Center 51 Industrial Park

Romney, WV 257 57(304) 822-3933

Email: [email protected]

Skips Honda580 South Mineral Street

Keyser, WV 267 26(304) 788-1615

The Little Shop of HarleysService & AccessoriesHD Certi ed Mechanic

44 Bay Berry LaneBerkeley Springs, WV 25411

(304) 258-3909

TRS FabricationCustom Painting & Collision Repair

109 Rainbow Hill RoadBerkeley Springs, WV 25411

(304) 258-0816 or 240-674-2985email: [email protected]

BARS & RESTAURANTS

Iron Horse Bar & GrillHC 84 Box 33 (Cutoff Road)

Keyser, WV 26726(304) 788-7522

Nan & Pops Place3485 Winchester AvenueMartinsburg, WV 25405

(304) 267-2007www.main.NanandPopsPlace.com

Peties Pub & Grill304 Morgantown Avenue

Fairmont, WV 26554(304) 363-0698

Owner - Beverly Opas

Steves Broken Spoke14977 SR 55

Needmore, WV 26801(304) 897-7706


BIKER ACCESSORIESAPPAREL LEATHERS & GIFTS

FM Special Tee House The Biker ShackHelmets, Shirts, Chaps, Jewelry

2 Locations: 162 Nancy Jack Road,Gerrardstown, WV 25420

& Barnwell Mini Shops 874 Chesire Road(Rt. 51) Bunker Hill, WV 25413

(304) 229-7609email: [email protected]

East View Variety ShopWe have everything from A - Z, old and new

715 Philippi PikeEast View, WV 26301

(304) 622-6701

Insane Leather Apparel37 Eastship Road

Dundalk, MD 21222(410) 491-0020Email: [email protected]

www.insaneleather.org

The Smoking Head835 E. Washington StreetCharles Town, WV 25414

(304) 724-3033email: [email protected]

BIKER FRIENDLY DIRECTORY Tri-County Honda

135 South Main StreetPetersburg, WV 26847

(304) 257-4420www.tri-countyhonda.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Vetter Photo1675 Cold Spring RoadMoore eld, WV 26836

(304) 530-6855www.vetterphoto.com

SPORTING GOODS

Dougs Sport ShopNew and Used Guns, Sporting Apparel and

Aigner Products

220 North Main Street; 743B Hawse PlazaMoore eld, WV 26836(304) 538-6496


VEHICLE SERVICES

Bobs Tire Service Inc.812 East Moler AvenueMartinsburg, WV 25401

(304) 267-2797www.bobstireservice.net

WEB DESIGN

Meridian Development55 Meridian Parkway, Suite 101

Martinsburg, WV 25401(304) 263-1000

www.meridianwebsites.com

C.E.s Helping Hands (Old Fields, WV)is a non-pro t organization enlisting the help

of other good hearted people wanting to

contribute to the cause of helping others inneed. Recent donations have gone to localfamilies with serious health and nancial

challenges. The organization holds monthlymeetings and several fundraising rides everyyear. Donations are always appreciated. For

more information visit our website atwww.cehelpinghands.com.

Highways and Hedges MotorcycleMinistry (South Charleston, WV)

For more information email Jim JammerMarcum at: [email protected]

Clubs & Organizations

THANKS AND GIVING: Thanksgiving is approaching, but what is the true meaning of thanks and giving? Wshould give thanks for our food, but there are those who forget about the second part, giving.

For example, when the tires on our bike start to wear and have little tread remaining we get new tires. Shouldwe dispose of the old ones or give them to someone whos tires are bald and cant afford new tires? Theyll bethankful for tires that have at least some tread left on them that will carry them a few more miles.

Most of us will have a feast on Thanksgiving which usually results in an overabundance of food. Well eatleftovers for several days and then dispose of it after we get tired of eating the same food. Heres a thought. Justlike the old tires, why dont we take our leftovers to a needy family? They may not have any food and will bethankful they at least have some food. Better yet, why not stick an extra turkey in the oven and give it to them?Want to truly bless them? Why not invite them to your house for Thanksgiving dinner? In Isaiah 58:7 it says, Is inot to share your bread with the hungry, and to bring to your house the poor who are cast out?

Heres the important part. You should give from your heart, not out of guilt or obligation. As stated in Matthew14:18, Jesus fed ve-thousand with ve loaves of bread and two sh. This was truly a miracle that could onlycome from God, but if Jesus was able to do so much with so little, then so can we! Be a blessing and be blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving.

By Jim Jammer Marcum

Jim Jammer Marcum resides in Charleston and has been involved in motorcycle ministry for nearly 15 years and serves as Clergy within Highways and Hedges Motorcycle Ministry.

www.thunderroadswv.comOur website is getting better and better every day! After a herky-jerkystart to getting theThunder Roads West Virginia website up andrunning, we are very happy to say that its now coming along nicely.We have been able to obtain the services of a brilliant webmaster who is working diligently to make our site the best on the web. Bysomewhere around the middle of the month, hes going to be rollingout a stimulating site that you will want to bookmark, or even makeyour homepage.

Heres where it stands at the beginning of the month. You can seethe online version of the current issue of our magazine. You can llout the safety survey online, of which the printed version is elsewherein this issue. Our online collection of photos is also being streamed.Ultimately, you will be able to view photos of speci c stories andevents as separate collections. The events calendar is working nicelyand is continually updated. E-mail the info about your events tous, and well get them up on the calendar. Links to our advertiserswebsite are also working. These are the people who make it possibleto bring you this free magazine each month, so please support them.

Many more improvements will be made to the website in the weeks

and months ahead, including videos, blogs, forums, and anstore where you will be able to order all kinds of Thunder RoaVirginia goodies.

nder roads WesT Virginia noVeMBer 2009 noVeMBer 2009 Thunder roads WesT Virginia 35 www.t wv.c m


20/21

A man asked an American Indian what his wifes name was.He replied, She called Four Horse. The man said, Thats annusual name for your wife. What does it mean?

The Indian answered, It old Indian name. It mean, NAG, NAG,NAG, NAG!

A sheriff stops at a ranch and talks with an old farmer. Heells the farmer, I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grownrugs. The old farmer says, Okay, but dont go in that eldver there. The sheriff verbally explodes saying, Mister, I havehe authority of the Sheriffs Department with me. Reaching

nto his rear pants pocket and removing his badge. The of cer roudly displays it to the farmer. See this badge? This badgemeans I am allowed to go wherever I wish on any land. Nouestions asked or answers given. Have I made myself clear?

Do you understand?The old farmer nods politely and goes about his chores. Later,he old farmer hears loud screams and spies the sheriff runningor his life and close behind is the farmers bull. With every stephe bull is gaining ground on the of cer. The sheriff is clearlyerri ed.

The old farmer immediately sets down his tools, walks to theence and yells at the top of his lungs.........Your badge!......how him your badge!

We went to breakfast at a restaurant where the seniors specialwas two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $2.99.Sounds good, my wife said. But I dont want the eggs.Then, Ill have to charge you three dollars and forty-nine centsecause youre ordering a la carte, the waitress warned her.You mean Id have to pay more for not taking the eggs? my

wife asked incredulously. Yes, exactly stated the waitress.Ill take the special then, my wife said.How do you want your eggs? the waitress asked.Raw and in the shell, my wife replied.he took the two eggs home and baked a cake.

* DONT MESS WITH SENIORS!!!Theyve been around the block more than once!

A blonde was shopping at Target and came across a shinyilver thermos.he was quite fascinated by it, so she picked it up and took it

o the clerk To ask what it was. The clerk said, Why, thats ahermos..... iteeps hot things hot, and cold things cold. Wow, said thelonde, thats amazing...Im going to buy it! She took it to workhe next day. Her boss saw it on her desk. What ya got in your hermos?

The blonde proudly proclaimed, two popsicles and someocoa.

Note * (You have to read this joke with a full-on Forrest Gumpaccent) The day nally arrived. Forrest Gump dies and goesto Heaven. He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself.However, the gates are closed, and Forrest approaches thegatekeeper. St. Peter said, Well, Forrest, it is certainly good tosee you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell you, though,that the place is lling up fast, and we have been administeringan entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, butyou have to pass it before you can get into Heaven. Forrestresponds, It sure is good to be here, St. Peter, sir. But nobodyever told me about any entrance exam. I sure hope that thetest is not too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was. St.Peter continued, Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only threequestions.First: What two days of the week begin with the letter T?Second: How many seconds are there in a year? Third: Whatis Gods rst name?Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the nextday and sees St. Peter, who waves him up, and says, Now thatyou have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers. Forrest replied, Well, the rst one -- which two daysin the week begins withthe letter T? Shucks, that one is easy.That would be Today and Tomorrow.The Saints eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, Forrest, thatis not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guessI did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer. Howabout the next one? asked St.. Peter. How many seconds ina year? Now that one is harder, replied Forrest, but I thoughtextra hard about that, and I guess the only answer can betwelve. Astounded, St.. Peter said, Twelve? Twelve? Forrest,how in Heavens name could you come up with twelve secondsin a year? Forrest replied, I counted, theres got to be twelve:January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd... Hold it, interrupts St.Peter. I see where you are going with this, and I see your point,though that was not quite what I had in mind....but I will haveto give you credit for that one, too. Let us go on with the thirdand nal question. Can you tell me Gods rst name? Sure,Forrest replied, its Andy. Andy? exclaimed an exasperatedand frustrated St. Peter. Ok, I can understand how you cameup with your answers to my rst two questions, but just howin the world did you come up with the name Andy as the rstname of God? Shucks, that was the easiest one of all, Forrestreplied. I learnt it from the song, ANDY WALKS WITH ME,ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN. St.Peter opened the Pearly Gates, and said: Run, Forrest, Run.

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