HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, Rhino and Indy went WAY ABOVE AND
BEYOND...............

This has got to be the raddest box of swag that I have EVER seen.......... socks, shirts, hats, trucks and a ton of stickers!!!!

Man, all I can say is Independent really HOOKED the RfL up!

Thanks for ALL THE SUPPORT!!!

How The Ride For Lightning Truly Started

If yall want to truly know how the whole Ride For lightning started, take a read on my buddy Lance's blog, this posting was the impetus. Lance was tellin' me about his buddy Lee who was having a tough time with this disesase called MS and all the implications. We were just hangin' on my deck talkin' and he mentioned what Lee was going through and it planted a seed. Tim and I had been thinkin' on doing a fall run and knowing about Lee's condition furthered instilled the notion to do a benefit run to do our part in helping out. Hopefully yall are makin' the decision to either go on the run or to contribute to the cause. I know it's asking a lot, especially for a person most have never met, but folks please help us, help someone in need. All the sponsors that are sending in products and new parts are doing it, for the sake of Lee.

For the most part in life, I believe in the individual and the strength of self reliance, hello Emerson, rather than waiting for life to dictate its terms to me. If you agree or don't agree I couldn't give a rats ass, but in the here and now we have a brother in need so if ya have a few bucks or just the time to pass along a web posting that is all that we are asking for.

Ride for Lighting is something within all of us, as its the spark of life...

http://lancedawes.blogspot.com/2010/05/donate-to-lee-bender.html

Rumble In Ramona - The Last Stand

Here is another event that is helping Lee Bender out. So for the west coast faction that is reading up on the Ride For Lightning, find someone to get ya in as its a private event. I will be there, so if any of yall have my cell, just give me a holler as I will be handling all the bands for the day and can most likely get ya through the gates.

Rock out to The Green Lady Killers

Get your scumbag country on with Hellbound Glory

Flat Tires - Rockin' The Run For Lightning Afterparty

Flat Tires never fail to put on one hell of a country punk show. Whether it be those sweet chords and licks that are as catchy as the flu in the room full of kids or the many faces of their front man Clint, they bring it live. Here is a glimpse into the mind of the mad man Clint! Don't sleep on checking out the Loose Lugnuts, The Speed Kings and BeItTheMeans for the after party music.

Listen to Flat Tires on Myspace

Check out Flat Tires on Facebook

High Speed High Death.............

Death Machine sent a rad package full of the coolest t-shirts and hats.........

Thanks again for all the support!

HEAVY...........

Zach has always been down for a good cause... everytime we ask he is more than happy to help out........... this time Zach has his own reasons for being involved and he really hooked it up as usual.

Thanks for all the HEAVY support!

Blood Falcon showing the RfL some love........

So, the boys over at Blood Falcon were more than happy to lend a hand and support the run.... yesterday I got their swag and it is pretty RAD!

Thanks again for all the support fellas!

HOLY SHIT!!!!!

Got a package from Shoe today and WOW...........

Shoe's House of Chop hooked it up with an amazing set of tank blanks he fabbed, a couple $100 gift certificates (to spend on any V-Twin merchandise since he's a rep.) and a really clean stock chrome primary cover (looks like a shovel to me)..........

THANKS for all the support!!!

Special 79 really showing the RfL some SUPPORT!

So, I asked Jay to be involved with the run........we've all seen the amazing work that he turns out under the working name Special 79... I thought we might get lucky and get some parts.......... but I never expected to get this sick a prize...........

Thanks again for all the support for the RUN.............

Swag is good BUT.....

Run swag from a HOMIE is even better..........

Oliver and the CUT-RATE boys are Salt of the FUCKING Earth! I never even asked them to be involved.... I knew they'd be down.........

Cut-Rate is doing it RIGHT...... check theme out and check out the swag they put on the pile..........

All I know is if you don't have a raffle ticket you're a sucker........ this pile is amazing and with the money going for the best of causes............ whatever, I'm done...... haha................. don't miss out!

Note and UPDATE from Lee.......

So, today I got an email from Lee........ thought I'd share the pertinent parts.........

yea tim!! ill try not to ramble on too much, in telling the story as much as i have, ive got a good shortened version down, so check this shit out.
my old neurologist frm phoenix called me monday, as in 7 days ago. said, they were going to get me in soon if i was still interested, i said yea, how soon do you think, he said wasnt sure and that he would have his assistant call me tomorrow, last tuesday, for scheduling. cool, hung up, waited, got the call tuesday. she said they were scheduling for this wednesday, the 22nd. cool, ill be there, hows it going to work etc? i had a ton of questions all of which were answered. they are hooking it up........ well, insurance wont accept an unheard of procedure, so they wont cover it and what that allows me to do is to get the procedure done with out having all of the money saved up and the hospital will send me a bill that i can make in payments, pay all at once or whatever i want to do which is killer. get it done sooner and pay later as opposed to save save save, show up with 11 grand in my pocket and go that route. so im fucking stoked!

thanks again for all the help.... you gotta know how grateful i am for your help!

only 110 degrees today, stay up man, talk to you sooooon.... leeeeeeeeeeeee


So, the awesome news is Lee doesn't have to wait any longer.......... Still has to pay but it's not life-and-death in getting the cash before he has the treatment.... we still need to hold fast and get dough together but a little of the pressure is off because one of the goals - the main goal - is being met.... LEE IS GETTING TREATMENT!

Tar Ball Run...........

This one is coming up real soon...........

If you're in the area or even if you're not check it out..........

Sneak Peak...........

Image1 has been working on painting a panel with one shot for a raffle prize.... take it from me his work is AMAZING........

I snagged these sneak peaks at the panel.... thought I'd share them with you guys.

Pretty RAD..............

The response to this run and what it stands for has been pretty SICK.... but the thing that has really hit me is how much people want to help.... Hell, we've even been getting offers to help and swag to throw in the pile that just shows up at the door.

The local Wilmington Crew from Behind Bars hit us up with a huge package of swag for the raffle... they didn't ask for any mention..... they just wanted to help.

I want to personally thank them for lending a hand.

Now, go CHECK THEM OUT!




Thanks again fellas!

Ride For Lightning - Bands Playing

The official lineup is now in for the Ride For Lightning run after party at the Twisted Spoke in Pendleton, SC. If ya can't do the run with us, surely join us for the raging after party. Check out the bands below when you get a chance. Its going to be an amazing lineup and The Loose Lugnuts will get everything warmed up around 3pm with some outlaw country. For those on the run, we have select camping and for all others hotels are just down the street.

Flat Tires on Myspace

BeItTheMeans on Myspace

The Speed Kings

Loose Lugnuts - Check out them rocking a house party

Band Sneak Peak - BeItTheMeans

We have a special treat for everyone on the run and comes straight from Birmingham, Alabama. When you hear about that elusive term called "Southern Rock", well lets just say the story is about to have another chapter added with BeItTheMeans. Trust me, this is one band that is going to be around for a long time to come. Be glad you saw them on the run as next time around it might be a far larger venue...

BeItTheMeans on Myspace

More SWAG...........

Got a package from FMA to add to the RAFFLE pile...........

Grant and Harpoon have plenty on their plates.... from magazines to parts to amazing paint.... these guys are plenty busy........... but not too busy to SUPPORT the CAUSE........

Thanks again fellas for the SUPPORT!






Now, go get your RAFFLE ticket for a chance to win some of the FMA goodies.......

Trail Of Tears - Part 2 of 2

continuation from earlier post...

"At this point having a treaty agreed to from bribery was considered fraudulent, but since Jackson had friends in high places, the treaty was ratified, even though few chiefs had signed it and it had gone against arguments concerning the exchange of land with the tribes. Simultaneously the Cherokee had their own representatives meeting with President Madison and his cabinet, along with several senators. Chieftain Major Ridge and his Scottish interpreter Lieutenant Ross were well received by all. Since they were such a hit they actually managed to get Jacksons bought and ratified treaty rescinded.

This move by Jackson served as a unifier amongst the Cherokee, polarizing them against any treaties or removal of them from their lands. This is all well and good, but the state governments involved were of the mind that the states had formed the Union, not the other way around. IF you guys are thinking, “WTF is he talking about?” Remember this, about 40 years later, there would be a little scuffle contesting the power of states’ rights and powers versus those of the federal government, it was called the Civil War. Yeah, that scuffle.

In the short period of time that it had taken the Cherokee to become civilized according to “modern doctrine”, many white citizens felt threatened by either the enthusiasm of the Cherokee to assimilate. Or they were just holding on to severely outdated prejudices that found basis in other less “civilized” tribes or even smaller violent minority groups within those of the Cherokee. Think modern Islam and violent minor sects today.

Speaking out for the “citizenry”, state governors began taking steps to limit the power of the Cherokee tribes, specific to their own state boundaries, but would often be cited and supported when other states began taking measures against the Cherokee and other tribes. Tennessee’s governor, Joseph McMinn being a supporter of Jackson, asked for federal troops to come to the aid of his state’s citizens based on unsubstantiated threats on life and property. He went on to accuse half breed Chiefs, Major Ridge, Little John Scot, and Charles Hicks of breeding sedition and objection to missionaries teaching the Cherokee things they did not have a need to know. Stuff like English and Arithmetic, the top secret stuff.

While Tennessee was still trying to get assistance from Federal government concerning the Cherokee “issue”, Georgia decided to flex their own muscle. They began passing laws limiting the natural autonomous freedoms of the Cherokee to act on the state level and within their own lands. The laws annexed all lands belonging to the Cherokee within Georgia’s borders, voided the Cherokee constitution and all laws established there in, and pretty much voided any actions by the autonomous governments of the Cherokee council. These went hand in hand with the “Black Codes” established by state governments to restrict the freedoms of free African Americans of the day. Both these sets of laws would be drawn upon later to set up the “Jim Crow” laws after the Civil War.

By 1829 when gold was discovered in Dahlonega, Georgia, matters concerning the Natives slipped from ridiculous to absurd. With Andrew Jackson firmly in presidential office, the Federal Congress passed the Indian Removal Act. By 1832, treaty commissioners began to utilize the growing divisions within the Cherokee Nation, specifically the Treaty Party, and the Nationalist Party. For the next several years the Cherokee councils tried fruitlessly to renegotiate these treaties. Remember during this time, citizens wanting to take “free land” the Cherokee were just “squatting” on, would just break in to homes, assaulting, pilfering, and generally acting like ass clowns towards hard working people in established homes. This was just the lower every day citizens, the upper class citizens (lawyers and businessmen) sought financial gain, by purchasing the recently state claimed lands, and requiring back rent or other means from Cherokee farmers who had once again worked their lands for years.

With the failure of negotiations, the federal government stepped in to take count, collecting many Cherokee in concentration camps, and prepare the Nation for removal. On January 1, 1837 the first group of 600 Cherokee left following a land route, making it to their destination with no reported deaths, they joined the 4000-5000 Cherokee already immigrated earlier in the century. During the collection of the Cherokee, many were literally just taken out of the homes with nothing allowed to be taken but the clothes on their backs. A few lucky ones would be able to go back and pack for the impending journey or gather the few things that had personal value more than anything, but most were never able to return.

This whole time, the Cherokee leadership tried so hard to get the Treaty of Removal, rescinded, but to no avail. Instead seeing their people mustered under guard and made to stay in the collection camps, they finally capitulated and began organizing themselves to make the journey under their own autonomy rather than that of the federal governments. So they arranged for transport and lodging at certain points along the proposed routes, they also arranged for food and supplies to be left at certain points. They did allow for the escort of federal troops merely as assistance. Unfortunately, most of the time, the planned assistance would never come through, and people would be left waiting for much needed supplies to get to them in the sweltering camps of the summer, or the freezing camps of the winter. They would suffer death not from bullets and sabers, but small pox and dysentery. They would indeed shed tears with every step of this forced journey.

There is a little more to it, but I had to figure out how many high spots to this period in history there were worth sharing. Already I feel like its way long for a blog, but this is something that needs to be shared and it is not a nursery rhyme about a long walk. It’s about a forced removal of people; no matter how “legal” it was supposed to be with paperwork like treaties. The areas we will be riding through on the run are these people’s lands whether they live there anymore or not. Let’s respect it.

Story By Josh

Band Sneak Peak - The Speed Kings

We are about to officially announce all the bands playing the event, so why not get started with some dirty southern street punk via Wilmington, NC. The Speed Kings are a kick ass band and all the fellas will most likely be doing the run as well with us. Dig into their sounds!

The Speed Kings on Myspace

Independent showing the RfL some love.....

When I was a kid it was always the dream to ride for Indy.....

Ok, so it's not the same but I'm pretty stoked to be on the Indy site and Strange Notes......

Thanks to Rhino and Indy for getting on board with the Run and helping us make shit happen...........

Hats and Shirts are WORKING....

Ralph and I sorted the shirts out today.............. AND the hats are in.........

Everything looks AMAZING........












REMEMBER $5 from every shirt and $3 from every hat goes to Lee's fund....... don't miss your chance to HELP........

HATS HERE!!!

SHIRTS HERE!!!

Cherokee Nation - Trail of Tears, Part 1 of 2

After such a great story on the history of runnin' moonshine, we asked our pal Josh to do a write up on the Trail of Tears. Being that we are staying on Native land on the first night of the run and camping right beside protected trout streams we feel as if folks should know more about this area and an event that is a sad chapter in American History.

"Does anyone remember back in grade school when they learned about Columbus “sailing the ocean blue…”? Yeah me too, but later on we learned that was really on par with a nursery rhyme compared to what really happened. Columbus was really a harsh guy, who brought gun smoke, disease and death to the tribes of the Caribbean islands, while taking anything of value that was not nailed down. After doing a write up on Moonshiners, Ralph asked me to do some digging into the Trail of Tears as well, to educate others further regarding the Cherokee reservation we are camping on the first night. This is my attempt to expound upon the nursery rhyme we were all told in high school concerning such a dark part of US history. I cover three segments, involving so much more than just a forced march from the Appalachian Mountains to the plains of Oklahoma.

Before beginning, I want to just throw out a few tasty bits to wrap your brains around. The fiv civilized tribes were the Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), Chickasaw, and Seminole. They were considered so because Anglo European settlers during the colonial days and early federal periods thought these tribes showed the most speed in adopting many colonial customs they found useful amongst their respective peoples. This allowed for “generally” good relations between all. The second little morsel is the definition of “Ethnic Cleansing” as stated by the UN. It is the planned deliberate removal from a specific territory, person of a particular ethnic group, by force or intimidation in order to render that area ethnically homogenous. It is usually used in conjunction with “Genocide”, i.e. Bosnian Serbs. Not to be confused with the Tutsi and Hutus of Rwanda, that was more Genocide in union with Ethnic Cleansing. I just want everyone’s attention properly focused for the next few paragraphs.

The first segment would be during the colonial days coinciding with the movement of the Ulstermen south out of Pennsylvania starting in 1730 (read my last blog entry on the History of Moon shining). At this time a rough estimate of the Cherokee had them at 20000 souls to include 6000 ass kicking warriors. Less than two decades later, they would only be able to muster 2500 scrappers to protect a total populace of 8500. This is believed to be due mostly to the transfer of diseases European settlers exposed the Natives to. The Cherokee were divided into three segments; the Lower People near the headwaters of the Savannah River in eastern Georgia, the Upper/Overhills People near the headwaters of the Tennessee River situated in the Appalachians, and the Middle People inhabiting the valleys and lower hills in between. Within these segments there were various clans, and groups which would later convolute later tribal government and political practices. Good to know the modern US is not the only nation that suffers from too many people not knowing what they want, but knowing what they do want.

The French and Indian War would kick off sometime in 1754, but like all good fights there would be a lot of trash talk and conflict to precipitate such matters. Having already had two decades of practiced trade with the English; the proposal of a fort built along the long considered settlement boundary of Long Canes Creek was well received by the Overland tribes, allowing for easy trade and a place of sanctuary for the families in case of attack. For this the Cherokee agreed to fight for the English and allow the King “sovereignty” over the land. For the Cherokee this was considered only in effect for administrative duties, not actual title to the land. Shortly after the completion of Fort Prince George, many white settlers thought the same things the Cherokee did about the Fort; a trading post and protection from attack, “Hey let’s move there!” The surrender of sovereignty had been misunderstood as title to the land, and this is where things go downhill quickly.

The French using the evidence of encroachment by the English conspired to anger the Cherokee further. Using a bordering tribe of the Creek Nation, secret meetings were held to generally piss in the collective cereal bowl of the Cherokee Nation. The English would get wind of this, and agree to parlay but also cut off the trade of gunpowder and shot to the People. This pretty much brewed up a cycle of pissedivity resulting in early 1760 of the overall middle finger towards the English Crown and violence then ensuing.

War is not profitable if done on the defense. Especially for the Cherokee as their need
for “civilized” items became increasingly acute over the following months. By the end of 1760, the need for the items but more importantly their needs for a crop to make it through the next winter caused the negotiations of peace between the Cherokee and the English. The Colonial Governors opted for being shrewd and made them wait until the spring of 1761 to begin sending in relief.

The French and Indian War would formally be closed in 1763. Hostilities with the Native Americans on the continent would still be felt during the coming months with conflicts like Pontiacs Rebellion in Michigan. Since the Civilized Tribes kept the peace below the Ohio River, the English Crown in October 1763 issued a Proclamation Line running through the Appalachians to assure the Tribes no further encroachment by settlers. During the French and Indian War there was no major loss to the Cherokee. They could still muster 2300 warriors but there dependence on trade goods had only deepened.

The next phase center around the next 70 years as the Cherokee spent their time becoming more “civilized”. They learned to speak English and get a formal education through various Christianization programs, invented their own syllabary (means “the method to write their language”, I had to look it up), draft a constitution establishing a representative government and courts of law, and generally form themselves into a mostly agrarian society. They were in fact becoming their own autonomous functioning nation in theory and practice, with all the amenities to be identified as their own Nation-State by others. The problem for the other nation lies in the fact that the Cherokee people as a whole was spread over five major states; North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and a few in Alabama.

While the Cherokee were busy becoming civilized, many people sought the removal of the People from what they considered now sovereign US soil. Between 1810 and 1825, treaty meetings constantly took place between the Cherokee leadership and dully appointed officials of both state and the federal government. One staunch supporter for the removal of the Cherokee People and others was Andrew Jackson. His belief was rooted in the growing sentiment that since the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, Americans should expand instead of hunker down and stay committed to their own borders, and not spread too thin their population and limited power. Jackson utilized anything in his tool box in getting the different tribes removed from land he believed to be rightfully possessed by the US. 1814 would see Jackson using the Cherokee for assistance while prosecuting the Red Stick tribe, neighbors of the Cherokee. 1817 would have Jackson, acting as a Federal Commissioner, use wholesale bribery to get as many of the Cherokee leadership in his pocket concerning tribal removal to western lands. Indeed that year a sizeable group of Cherokee would migrate willingly to north east Arkansas."

Part 2 will be posted tomorrow.

Thank You Note From Lee Bender!

Let Lee tell you his story and why we are all helping him out...

road of bones from lee bender on Vimeo.

Support local music!

Rusty Knuckles is throwing a pretty nice party tomorrow night in Raleigh at the Dive Bar. Anybody within a 60-100 mile radius should try to attend...lots of good music! Ralph is one of the organizers of the Ride for Lightning, and the owner of Rusty Knuckles, so let's try to support our local talent!

Just so it's fresh.........

The run is October 15-16.

We are meeting in Hickory, NC on the morning of October 15th and heading out... we will be heading to Cherokee, NC along the Blue Ridge Parkway... we will be camping that night in Cherokee on the reservation just down the street from the casinos.... the next morning we are heading out to Pendleton, SC for the blow-out after-party.......... ALL the details will be posted as the run gets closer but for now that's the four-corners...........

To sign up GO HERE!!!!

Also, on the RAFFLE.... we are having 2 Raffles......... one online and one in person... you buy one ticket and you are in on both so long as you go on the run.... we are gonna give at least 8 prize packages out for each of the raffles..... I have already shown some of the rad swag we've been getting.... it is only gonna get better from here............ those who win are gonna be STOKED.... and look at it like this, even if you lose your couple bucks are going to Lee to make a real change.........

Now, get on it and buy some tickets and get your run ticket........... time to live it and not read about it.

As always, if you have any questions let me know - tim@deathscience.com

Later

Mount Mitchell....

The first day of the RfL we will follow Blue Ridge Parkway up to Mount Mitchell........

Mount Mitchell is the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and the highest peak in the eastern United States. It was the highest point in any state of the United States until Texas joined the union in 1845. The nearest higher point east of the Rocky Mountains is Harney Peak in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

For our purposes it is really high and an amazing place to see.... some of the most amazing roads on the East Coast along with really beautiful views....

See for yourself...

Bull City Rumble................

So, I totally missed out...

But Ralphie represented for the RfL............. I didn't realize the Rumble was happening til it was too late......... but Ralph went to spread the word about the Ride for Lightning and said it was a good show full of rad bikes and good people............ Hopefully some of the Ton-Up Club will be joining in on the run in October.........

Ralph took some good shots of the show as well..........

Thanks for the pictures.