Author and freedom fighter, Gunny

From The GUNNY'S SACK

The riding season for the most part is over here in the Great Northwest, at least as far as camping events are concerned. We have a couple of swap meets coming up in the next few months to kind of keep things alive for the winter, along with some toy runs. So, at least we won't be completely idle during those months of drizzle! Most Northwest riders are used to a little rain, anyway. Like we say around here, if you don't ride in the rain, you don't ride in Oregon!

Last month, ABATE of Oregon held the End Of Summer Run, and let me tell you if you weren't there you missed a whale of a good time. I don't know when I've had so much fun. The bike games were a real hoot, especially this game called "SHIT, the old man's home!" The contestants were gettin' into it, jumping through a mock bedroom window and firing up their bike for the quickest getaway, and it was hilarious. One old boy lost his britches trying to get himself out the window! The whole run was great, and all in all a really satisfying way to end the DRY riding season.

GRESHAM, OREGON: A victory to report here, and victory is always sweet. We'd reported here a few issues back (past issues of the Sack are available to read in our online archives, at www.AIMNCOM.com, and click on "news").

To sum it up, the Gypsy Joker MC had a poker run, open to ALL bikers. It was their "strip-poker run," to girlie joints. Now they come up to our Portland suburb of Gresham, home of recent Miss America Katy Harmon, and we come to find out that the police were bored or paranoid or god-knows-what, but they not only stopped the pack; they treated it as a gosh-darn felony stop! EVERYONE, passengers too, face-down on the pavement, cuffs behind 'em, in the full sun on a 95-degree day. All this for the infractions of supposedly SOME or a FEW of them running a red light, at the end of the pack.

Cops claimed they ran one light - very unlikely, to say the least. Four of the bikers were also charged with FELONY Attempting to Elude a Police Vehicle! So, EVERYONE who was cited - most of them members of GJMC - they ALL pleaded NOT guilty.

My boss here - and now I gotta tell ya, I'm proud of the man when I hear this - Sam Hochberg decided that THIS one was just too outrageous, so he offered to defend ALL of the bikers cited for infractions only, FREE of charge, or "pro bono," as the lawyers say. A lot of you Sack readers know Sam. He's been our Oregon AIM (Aid to Injured Motorcyclists) Lawyer for about 15 years now, handling accident claims for bikers and others, and doing a lot of this sort of pro-bono work, like our other AIM attorneys across the country. On this one, he had the backing of the Oregon Confederation of Clubs (COC), as a Justice Project they support. Sam's also the COC's legal counsel, which he ALSO does pro bono, which means "for the public good.". Well, this one was for his OWN good, too. Sam's been a rider for nearly all his years since he was a pup of 21 in NYC, back in '71.

ANYHOW, on one fine September afternoon in Gresham, sixteen bikers showed up for the trial, and they all testified, and damned if Judge Albrecht, Multnomah County Circuit Court, didn't find 'em ALL NOT GUILTY! Took her almost two weeks to sift through all the notes Sam says he saw her taking, but she sent out a letter to Sam, and there were cheers in Mudville that night. Sam wanted to make sure that I'd print the names of some of the people who helped Sam bring that victory: First, our new AIM (Aid to Incarcerated Motorcyclists, in this instance) Criminal Defense Lawyer, JIM RICE.

Jim helped handle the prep and defended one of the bikers, so he and Sam BOTH got to talk to every witness. Jim is the guy who talked about the US PATRIOT ACT at the WEST COAST REGIONAL NCOM Conference back in November '02 here in Portland. Jim's a member of OVMA, an Oregon Vets biker association, and MANY ABATE people contributed to Jim's campaign when he ran for Oregon Supreme Court. His campaign poster had him astride a Harley, with his "OVMA" insignia displayed. Besides Jim, Sam says that our biker-veterinarian, Dr. Darryl Leu, did a terrific job testifying, and he made an excellent photographic record and narrative description of the whole incident!!

Oh, and member of the Brother Speed MC of Portland was going to testify on what Sam says was a "collateral matter," whatever THAT is, but then he didn't need him after all. He knows who he is, and his willingness to help was MUCH appreciated. And to throw in my OWN two cents, I gotta hand it to the Gypsy Joker MC for standing up for their rights. I mean, y'can't fight 'em if y'don't take the time to take a stand, even on the small battles. My hat's off to them, to Sam Hochberg, and to all the people he thanked. Sometimes, you just have draw the line.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA: Two San Francisco groups representing seniors and pedestrians came out swinging against a city supervisor's proposal to allow some parking of motorcycles on sidewalks. I'm not so sure I don't agree with them, in principal at least. I don't like the idea just because it would put my ride in harms way from the "touchy-feely" people who run around laying their dirty paws on everything in sight!

I don't want some fool thinking he can sit on my bike just because it's there. There is always the danger of somebody knocking it over and maybe hurting someone and then getting my butt sued. It would be much simpler to designate one car space at the end of each block for bikes like they do in Salem, Oregon. It works folks, and doesn't cost anybody a red cent.

HERPES on 2 wheels: Well here's another goofy TV ad making goofs of bikers. This commercial shows a guy hopping onto some generic motorcycle. The voice-over you hear is yakking about "freedom" and how good it feels to be out there on the road, while we're watching the biker rounding curves on some beautiful road somewhere. Turns out the ad is for VALTREX, which is some sorta stuff you take to stop herpes sores on your whatsis. So, in other words, they figure BIKERS are the kind of people who are more likely to GET VENEREAL DISEASE? My boss Sam Hochberg went online to check this out, and sure enough, even on their own website, www.valtrex.com, the same actor from the TV ad is there online with a bike in the background, a young chickie with him in the foreground, and he's carrying a helmet around. I think a lot of the wives and husbands of bikers might think that this "Bikers-get-VD" stereotype is going a little too darn far! Me, I just think it's just kinda dumb, that's all. But, if y'got a gripe, I'd go to their website and give 'em a piece of your mind!

Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue's MERT, the Motorcycle Emergency Response Team, consists of 10 BMW bikes, each one fitted with the most critical lifesaving tools. The biker-medics travel in pairs. The time saved by using bikes allows for critical extra treating time the injured, and it's saving lives! We've reported in the Sack on biker medics in other cities and countries around the world, and I'll KEEP doing it, 'cuz it just makes SO much danged sense!

BIKERKISS.COM: We've heard about computer dating for years, but here's one just for bikers! Here's what they say about themselves: "A great group helps riders in your city and nearby areas to share their favorite riding areas, trails, dual-sport rides, and motorcycle news. Membership is open to all, whether single, couple or family." Way to go, folks. Sign up and meet the love of your life. Neat idea.