August is “Admit You’re Happy Month” and the 23rd is “Ride the Wind Day.” I’m sure whoever came up with this “day” wasn’t talking motorcycles, but I say we make it our own! I’ve got a few events on my own calendar this month. My Ladies of CREW are planning a picnic, which I know we’ll have fun with. And thanks to Georja Cockrell’s organization, the San Antonio Winery in L.A. has welcomed us in for a tour and lunch. Just mentioning this in case you’re looking for a fun outing for a lunch ride or perhaps an “I dunno” ride. I know the Valley V-Twin riders and the Downtown Boyz are always looking for places to go. Halle Fetty tells me they’re going to visit the U.S.S. Iowa down in San Pedro Harbor in in August. It’s a nice, cool ride, especially after the heat of the desert!… Zorba’s in Riverside is sponsoring their Hot Summer Bike Night on August 20. Zorba’s sponsors several bike events throughout the year. They’re located at 450 Iowa Avenue, you can call them for directions at 951.686.5830… For you SoCal Brad Wilson fans, he has an August show set up at the Shoreline Village in Long Beach on the 3rd… Since summer is on us in full swing, I also want to remind you folks of all the free concerts in the parks throughout SoCal. One of my faves is the Redlands Bowl (www.redlandsbowl.com). Parking is a piece of cake on your bike, picnics are encouraged and the concerts and shows are free! Of course, they’re always happy to accept your contributions… Also free in the park is another favorite, the Independent Shakespeare Company, who performs in Griffith Park to the accompaniment of the coyotes and nearby zoo animals. I try to hit one of every show they offer; they are always entertaining and I promise you won’t be bored! Their website for performances and info is www.independentshakespeareco.org. Pick up your local paper or an L.A. Times and start investigating park concerts and shows. Picnics are as easy as a Costco chicken and deli potato salad. Or you can get creative and go all out like my sis Laurie and I do for ours—up to you. Just go! I promise you’ll make it regular part of your summer if you start! Just make sure to double bag whatever you take for a picnic before you stash it in your saddlebags or strap it onto your rear rack. Barbecue beans on your exhaust only smell good for a second—yep, so speaks the voice of experience!… Haven’t stopped by yet, but have been informed my longtime pal Lois Fries is working over at Pomona Valley Harley-Davidson! How cool; maybe we can get together after a shift for lunch! Lois, along with hubby Buck, was a founding member of the Pomona Valley H.O.G.… August has lots of birthdays, so here goes: Happy birthdays to Mike Gibbs and Bonnie Garcia. Have a great day, you guys! And Syd Levine, hope your day is fun. Casey Isabelo and David Beach, hope you have a great day. Mary Battin, Steve Mooney and Jake Balmer all share August birthdays, I know they’ll be fun! Max Simmons of Australia, I know you will see this online, so happy birthday to you, too! Happy Birthday to my friend Jeff Beckman at Placentia Truck and, also from the wrecking biz, happy birthday to Avo Mamenyan at Bells Truck & Vans in Sun Valley. Happy birthdays to Georja Cockrell, Sandee Berger and Tina Wingo, hope your day is marvy… Eric and Shana Duffy, looking forward to Taco Night in Whittier!… Mark and Tina Wingo, thanks for organizing such a great harbor ride and 4th of July event for the CREW!… If you’re going to be riding out in the heat, start drinking water two or three days before. After you’re seeing stars is too late to start sucking down the water! Halle out at Valley V-Twin says to let you folks all know about the TechKewl Phase Change Cooling Vests. They’re a light, cotton vest with four gel packs that you freeze and slide into the pockets; both front and back. It’s like air conditioning for bikes. They last at least a couple of hours and truly work to cool down your core. Since Valley V-Twin is a dealer for TechNiche, they can get custom sizes made, too… That’s it for August; stay cool and have fun! As always, send me your stuff! I always love to pass on biker-friendly restaurants and establishments; be it your hair salon, repair shop or even your favorite tchotchke shop. Send me your best vendors; it’s never too early to start your toy run planning! I already heard from Honda Ray Fleishman talking about the date for his annual Totally Kids Ride! So if he’s calling me I know lots of other rides are in the works and lots of folks are looking for that special one-of-a-kind vendor. See you all in September—enjoy your ride!
