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Freedom Fest (Mini)

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On May 27th, Colorado Freedom Festival made the announcement that their annual concert, scheduled for June 26-27 was canceled due to the state disallowing large group gatherings. 

This event, that celebrates and raises awareness for Veterans, is something founder, Dean Gary, is passionate about. He stated on Facebook that he was “absolutely devastated” about the forced cancellation. He also decided that he would try to do some sort of concert series as a way to honor our nations heroes in some fashion this summer.

Within days Gary had worked out a FREE show date in partnership with Dirty Dogs Roadhouse:

Freedom Fest Colorado MINI

  • Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
  • 17999 W Colfax Ave Golden CO 80401
  • 11am to 10pm

FREE! ALL WE ASK IS AN IN KIND DONATION FOR THE CHARITY AT THE DOOR TO GET IN.

LIMITED SPACE – First Come, First Served

Just a Badass, One-Legged Biker

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By Stormy

Stormy

What piqued my interest about Lonnie Hubbard was  #1 he is a badass bad boy, #2 he is a biker, and #3 he is an amputee that rides.  This combination, I feel, is a great story.  The first time I met Lonnie in person was when he walked through my front door for this interview.  I was immediately fascinated and intrigued.  

Lonnie was born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Sheridan, Wyoming.  He spent time mostly in juvenile detention centers, boys’ homes, and then joined the Army when he was 17.  This clearly confirms he is a bad boy.  He moved to Colorado in 2003, so that his then wife could attend college in Fort Collins.  Lonnie worked in the oil industry for many years on drilling rigs and hopes one day he can get back into once the industry starts booming again.

Lonnie explained what happened to his leg.  He stated, “I spent two and a half months in the hospital almost 4 years ago, and I lost my leg, and it was pretty rough.”  Lonnie was not sure what was causing the pain in his leg, but he has a rare condition where his body produces thick blood and somehow a blood clot formed in his leg and destroyed his femoral artery.  This happened  while he was working as a driller.  When he noticed his leg was hurting one day, he ignored it, and it went on for a few years.  When the oil industry died in 2015, Lonnie started his trucking business.  Sitting in a truck 16 hours a day, six days a week is bad for circulation, and when you have thick blood, that is even worse.  His leg kept hurting and as stubborn as he is, he never went to the doctors to find out what was wrong.  One day he could no longer take the pain and went to the emergency room, and they did a CT scan on his leg and found out he was losing it.  They immediately set up an appointment with a vascular surgeon.  The surgeon told Lonnie that it is worse than he expected.  The femoral artery from his waist to his knee was getting 3% blood flow, and his leg and toes were turning black.  The surgeon was surprised Lonnie was even walking on that leg.  They tried to save it, but it got worse.  The surgeon inevitably amputated his leg.

Lonnie said his story is worse than a bad country song, “I’ve struggled a lot since I lost my leg.  I know this revision surgery I had two months ago helped a lot of things, but it is a 6-month recovery time, so in the meantime I am enduring a lot of phantom pains in my leg.  The oilfield died, I lost my trucking business than my leg, lost my house and my marriage and then the ultimate low was I had to put my dog down in February.”

Lonnie runs around with the red and white crew along with his best friends, Monkey, Dave, Rob, and Josh.  When he rides, he must keep a steady flow of whiskey going to deal with the leg pain.  He explained, “I really don’t like riding like that all the time, but so far it has been pretty good since the revision surgery.”

Although Lonnie has a bad boy image, he inspires a lot of other amputees.  Kermit, another local biker amputee, and he went to the hospital to visit a young man who was preparing to get his leg amputated from a motorcycle wreck about two years ago.

Lonnie felt that honesty builds trust, and he wanted the young man to believe in their inspiration.  The ability to inspire others is an important skill, and Lonnie has that in his favor.  Kermit and Lonnie kept their message authentic and human, and the young man was at ease before and after the surgery.  

Lonnie and I became real good friends after this interview, and I am so glad I can call him my brother.  So, ladies if you like men that have the bad-boy image, Lonnie is the eligible bachelor for you.  

Giga-Head Technical Services, Scott McGlasson

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“Computer problems can really suck, and make you want to fire a whole magazine into the thing or go full Office Space on it with a bat. Even after 20 years in computer and technology work, I can still relate to that feeling.” 

Golden, CO local Scott McGlasson has started a part time business called Giga-Head (named for a drunken vision about a Knucklehead motor cranking out computer power).

Noticing a lack of similar businesses serving our community, Scott has a mission to provide technology services to local bikers and small businesses. 

“Using computer technology is not really optional anymore, if you’re going to be functional in the modern world. I’m kind of a local mechanic, but for computer stuff. My experience in audio / video and surveillance systems comes in handy too,” he says.

Scott works full time with a Wichita technology company, serving the public safety sector. “If our systems don’t work, every time, some child molester could avoid conviction as a result,” he says. “In the legal world, that’s what they call ‘bad’.” 

Before his current job, he worked for eight years in Black Hawk casinos, as a senior IT technician. “Everybody would always ask if I could rig the slots to help them out, but nope. Now I’m glad to be out of the casino industry and into work that matters.” 

The Giga-Head business is Scott’s side gig, “…basically for motorcycle money. I’ve done work for local friends, T-Bird Roadhouse and the motorcycle shop, from doing the shop website to fixing up the POS and surveillance systems. It’s a nice relationship, because I also want some work done on my bike – pipes and cams, more power and chrome!”

Scott has a 2017 FLSTN (Softail Deluxe), approaching 25k miles on the odometer. 

“I love my bike, I love riding Colorado roads, and I love the biker world. I like doing work for fellow motorcycle enthusiasts, because they’re usually not full of themselves, and have a sincere respect for honest work.” 

For anyone who wants a hand with tackling their computer or technology issues, he says “I’ll be glad to advise you on your problems or questions over the phone. I’m not working for a retail store, or trying to sell anything. For service calls at your home or business, evenings and weekends are usually good.” 

What advice does Scott have for Rider News readers with tech problems who want to blow up their computer? “Don’t panic! Technical issues are fixable, and there is always a solution.”

Contact Scott McGlasson: 316-358-1181

Editor’s Note: Scott McGlasson is a biker with an extremely charitable heart. Every weekend through our #2Wheels4Meals he volunteered, he donated, and he rode to deliver food to first responders. Scott has helped BikerDown with laptop and computer issues and is extremely knowledgeable and can solve most computer issues.

The Riding season that wasn’t!

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By Belt Drive Betty

Thanks to COVID-19, everyone’s world has been turned upside down, including ours!

Hundreds of events cancelled, hundred more rescheduled and everyone struggling to get some fundraising done.

As we get closer to the middle of June, we in Canada are looking forward to crowning a new Rider Friendly Community.   The idea behind the contest is to find those communities that love having riders visit.

What community has the best wings, 

  • the best burger, 
  • the best pie and coffee or the best donuts.
  • Which volunteer made being at an event worthwhile?

It’s all about celebrating the smaller communities. No community over 100,000 can enter.

Over the last five years of the contest we have learned about some of the most incredible out of the way Large Roadside Attractions Like the miniature Eiffel Tower in Montmartre Saskatchewan or the Moose in Manning Alberta.

We learned about the Run to the Hills Memorial Rally in a small community called Two Hills Alberta, and an amazing toy run on Vancouver Island BC called the Port Alberni Toy Run. We learned about the incredible riding community in Lloydminster Alberta and the quaint community of Hafford Saskatchewan.

Every community that has won our trophy has been unique and interesting and truly the diversity of scenery and people is what makes being a motorcyclist one of the most rewarding things a person can be.

To see the communities that are entered in the contest and learn a little about them and Canada visit riderfriendlycontest.ca

Peak Honda World. We Invented Social Distancing.

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By Peak Honda World, proud supporters of #2Wheels4Meals

There is something about the prospect of adventure that keeps our hearts beating. Right now in America, adventure seekers may feel a bit trapped. We are not used to being kept in one place and unable to wander, isolated and downright bored. 

This is America, for goodness sake. The land of the free. The home of the brave. It feels unnatural to be stuck at home, a bit fearful and feeling somewhat helpless. Peak Honda World understands the need for escape and autonomy. The need to get out and explore your world.

We invented social distancing, after all.

The kind of social distancing that looks like you with a whole day ahead of you and an open road. The social distancing between two yellow lines, the sun warm on your back and no destination. The social distancing winding down a mountainside, miles of that purple mountain majesty surrounding you. That’s what we’re talking about. Peak Honda World is honored to have the opportunity to Power your Adventure. We can’t wait to set you up with everything you need to bust out of the house and into the great unknown. We believe in your need to follow the call of the wild. To see new places. To forge your own path to peace.  It may be a few hundred miles of pavement or it may be a quiet dirt road.  Wherever your adventure awaits, we’ll meet you there.

Rides: Look Twice Save A Life – May 16

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As of today, BikerDown’s annual Look Twice Save a Life Ride, scheduled for May 16, is still on.

We are cautiously optimistic that by April 30, Colorado will have done enough to flatten the curve of the Coronavirus outbreak, that Governor Polis will lift social distancing and business restrictions.

BikerDown is a non-profit focused on safety for riders and we will continuously monitor the situation and adapt as necessary.

Morning Stretch: Thoughts & Inspirations

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By Stretch McClure

We are all going through some trying times.

I am so tired of the political blame. If you want to blame someone, blame ourselves. We got comfortable. You could blame hospitals etc. for not having enough PPE’s.

But you can’t! How could they know something like this was going to happen? You would have complained about the waste of money on having shit lay around in some warehouse rotting or some rodent chewing up the wiring. The same if any part of the Government spent trillions of dollars on something with “NO prior” need! We would have all bitched about it too.

I don’t know about you, but if the government is going to give back something I would like it, and many may need it!! Give everyone a break on blame and work together. Get the shit people need.

Help each other and share!!!! Only us! We the people can fix this. Damn it!  This is what I truly believe. “We got this.”

You know that sometimes life knocks you on your ass… get up, get up, get up!!! Survival is not the absence of problems, it’s the ability to deal with them and move forward. How would your life be different if… You stopped making negative judgmental assumptions about people you encounter? Let today be the day… You look for the good in everyone you meet and respect their journey.

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will. Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection.

Success, popularity, and power can indeed present a great temptation, but their perception often comes from the way they are part of the much larger temptation to self-rejection and failure. When we have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity, and power, are easily perceived as attractive solutions.

The real trap, however, is self-rejection or failure. As soon as someone criticizes me, or leaves. I find myself thinking, “Well, that proves once again that I am a nobody and I deserve to be pushed aside, forgotten, rejected, and abandoned”.

Self-rejection or failure is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the “Beloved.” Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence. So, at the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets. These are trying times, no doubt, but it shall pass!

Stay safe and take care.