Later, I met Chrome Specialities' Ed Martin and Chica. I have always loved the low, mean look of his exotic bikes.

Chrome Specialties' display was full of its radical Streetware line of clothing as well as several savage customs and all the goodies to go with them.

Donnie's Smith's slick yellow Softail, featuring his latest frame, sat alongside an evil, Chica-built rigid.

RC Comp's display featured many of its new products and two bikes built with them, including a severe orange chopper that featured their new turbo and Sheriff wheels. The choices of what to look at next were infinite.

Friday night, I ran into Rick Ball and the RC crew at Champs Bar at the Hyatt. A who's who of custom motorcycle industry packed the bar and spectacular atrium lobby, which was dominated by an amazing waterfall. The best blues club in Indy is the Slippery Noodle. Rick's distinctive wit continued into the evening along with the drinking and the killer blues.

Saturday found me in a Goldschlager induced coma. Yet I managed to drag myself to the Hot Bike Magazine Awards at the Westin Hotel. Donnie Smith, Paul Yaffe, and Roger Bourget, were just a few of the faces, I saw there. John Reed and Skeeter Todd both won Awards for Outstanding IndustryRepresentative. John remarked how success is "all luck and timing." He said he, "was quite pleased that the awards brings attention to the craftsman." He feels a lot of talent goes unrecognized. RC Componants' Brake Pulley, won High Tech Product of the Year. Drag Specialties' Charlene Sparks, was busy lighting up the room with her smile. The festivity spilled out of the room onto the second floor lobby.

Meanwhile, about 190 miles east of the Indy party scene, in Columbus, the Easyriders Bike Show party was ending the bike show season in wild style. They had to ship in bartenders from out of state to keep up with demand. The normally elegant University Plaza Hotel bar filled to 10 times the legal capacity as the show's staff, competitors, vendors and visitors blew off enough steam to power the entire city. Branscomb Richmond warmed the heart of every female within 5 miles. They were still telling Dave Nichols stories the next day. At one point, Duane Michaels of the Renegade Posse Band jammed some Irish tunes on his fiddle, while Easyriders' photographer Mike Lichter accompanied on the flute. Others played the spoons and trashcans as several girls danced Irish jigs.

More than 9,000 people went through the Veteran's Memorial for the Easyriders Finals on Saturday. A solid line of black leather snaked through display after display of mind-blowing customs as well as spotless antiques and classics.