Happy Spring, everyone, and I trust you're gearing up for a very active and enjoyable Riding Season.  With the weather fast warming up, the calendar is fairly bursting with all kinds of fun motorcycling events across the state, and I look forward to saying hello to lots of my ABATE Family as I attempt to balance my job responsibilities against throwing a leg over the sled and having fun.  As the old saying goes, a bad day on the road is better than a good day at work!  I just got the Spring schedule from Charley's Last Stand, one of our ABATE Sustaining Members, and it is just packed with enjoyable occasions.  The weekly Bike Night schedule is getting established, and I'm seeing flyers for upcoming rides all over the place.  Be sure your motorcycle or trike is in good mechanical condition as you get set to ride more regularly, and be certain to employ your most important piece of Safety Equipment while riding--your intelligence!   Hopefully, folks were able to celebrate a Happy Easter or Passover with family, friends and loved ones at the end of March (I wasn't used to having Easter arrive so early this year), and are staying safe and in good health.

     Talk about March Madness!  We started the month with a well-attended Oklahoma Confederation of Clubs meeting at the American Legion Post in Tulsa on March 6.  Around 205 people showed up (I think we set another attendance record), representing 35 clubs, organizations and associations.  Joey Lester from NCOM updated us on the PATRIOT ACT threat, Federal Anti-Gang Legislation that would basically subject any group to government scrutiny, and other Big Brother-type developments.  We also finalized arrangements for the Oklahoma Bike Expo March 19 and 20.  We had, I felt, a very productive ABATE State Board Meeting March 12 which featured a couple of highlights.  First, Mike Penix from Sunset Chapter was appointed to finish out the year as ABATE State Sgt-at-Arms.  Congratulations, Mike, and we appreciate the dedication of both you and Vicki to furthering Biker Freedom in our state.  I'd also like to thank Jimmie Bingham for serving the first part of the term, and for his continued support of ABATE's goals, especially during the NCOM Convention in Oklahoma City last year.  Speaking of the NCOM Convention, the 20th Annual Convention is coming up May 5-7 in Nashville, TN, and I'm very much looking forward to going.  It's shaping up to be a good one, and I hope to see a few of you there.  Back at the Board Meeting, it was approved to hold the ABATE State Party and Swap Meet, and this year it'll be in Ponca City, America, Sept. 23-25, and will be hosted by the Three Sands Chapter!  They're coming up with plans for a really good time, and I'll get more details out to you over the next couple of months. 

     I showed up at the Cox Convention Center early on March 19 for the Oklahoma Bike Expo, and Carmaletta and Manuel were setting up the ABATE Booth.  They had dropped off their stuff the night before, and Rob Perkins from Rogers County Chapter had come down Friday night to help as well.  The Center was completely occupied with vendor spaces, and right after I got there, the event kicked off at 9:00AM with Oklahoma City's mayor and the head of the Chamber of Commerce cutting the ribbon to officially open the Expo.  I marveled at how it looked as if we were well on our way to being considered respectable!  The weather was very mild that entire weekend, and the Expo quickly became filled with thousands of people.  It featured some really good live music, a lot of different vendors, and a great bike show.  The majority of rides on display were Radical Customs, but a number of area bike dealerships featured their 2005 Models.  For folks that were interested in NCAA Basketball, the Convention Center was showing games on the wide-screen televisions.  I worked the ABATE Booth until closing, and would like to express my appreciation to Carmaletta, Manuel, Charlene, Chris, Tina, Rob and Greta for doing such a great job.  There also was a Tattoo Contest, and I was fortunate enough to win the Best Back Piece award!  The winners received etched crystal steins, engraved with the Expo logo.  They're big enough to hold four cans of Bud--trust me!  All in all, it was a successful event, and the Confederation is looking forward to hosting it again next year.  It was unfortunate that there were so many competing events that weekend, but I promise to help de-conflict event dates with the ABATE Chapters as soon as I find out what's available for 2006.  Easter coming in April next year will help free up more weekends in March, that's for sure!   I rolled up to the Muskogee Fairgrounds Sunday Morning on March 20 to spend a few hours with my Buzzard Brothers and Sisters at the Muskogee ABATE Swap Meet and Tattoo Contest.  The building was filled with vendors, and a bunch of riders turned out to enjoy the day.  It was great socializing with old friends and making some new ones, but I couldn't stay for the Tattoo Contest.  I had to get on the road and make it to Tulsa for the last few hours of the Tulsa ABATE 25th Anniversary Bike Show.  I got there just in time for the Awards Ceremony, and to see a really nice collection of bikes, including  some awesome restored antiques like 1917 and 1926 Harley Singles, and a couple of Indian Chiefs from the '40s.  There were some really good looking bikes in the show that are ridden daily as well, like Jack and Carol King's Polaris bikes.  They both won trophies for their rides.  I was informed that even though attendance was down this year, Tulsa ABATE presented the Akdar Shrine Temple (longtime ABATE supporters) with over 3,500 dollars for Shriner programs that benefit children.  We'll do what we can to deconflict events and contribute to improved attendance next year.  I'd like to thank from the bottom of my heart all those ABATE members that pitched in to make these events successful.  It was great to hear (and see) the events going well, with lots of fun things to do and nice folks to meet.  I'd also like to express my gratitude to both the Muskogee and Tulsa Chapters for the hospitality and family spirit shown me while I was visiting--I had a terrific time with you, and look forward to getting out more and visiting other Chapters as well.

     On the heels of what I felt was another successful ABATE Legislative Breakfast, I'm confident that at least some of the issues we're interested in might be favorably considered.  Hey, we need to keep a positive attitude, even in the face of adversity!  We believe a mistake was made in advancing SB 27, Jaggers' Law, as Title 47 legislation (Motor Vehicle Safety category), when it should've been advanced as a Title 22 bill (Criminal Law).  Maybe we can find a Title 22 Bill to attach it to as a rider.  We just can't allow irresponsible motorists to violate our Right of Way, and get away with hurting and killing us!  I just read where the DA dropped all charges against former Congressman Wes Watkins for tail-ending and killing two people, and Watkins' attorney was crowing about his client not being guilty, like the tragedy never even happened!  Something is clearly wrong with our Criminal Justice System when inequities like these are tolerated.  Senator Reynolds is still fighting to get our Veterans Bike Tag approved, and the 45th Infantry Division Museum is supporting us, since they'll benefit from the proceeds.  Speaking of tags, there was a rumor that the tags for Purple Heart recipients were modified from their original design, which is not the case.  The DMV folks at the Capitol even opened a box of new ones to check.  Thanks to Dan Cross of the Marines M/C for researching this issue.  I'm excited to report that now both companion bills, SB 806 and HB 1519, which would regulate and legalize Artistic Tattooing in Oklahoma, came out of their respective Public Health Committees with "DO PASS" recommendations, and the Senate version was approved by the full State Senate just in advance of the deadline!  Now, it'll be heard by the full Oklahoma House of Representatives, which is hopefully the last step before signature into Law by Governor Henry.  Last month, the Daily Oklahoman even published an editorial in support of tattooing as a Public Health issue, and called for regulation as a means of improving standards and quality of life for the state's citizens.  Of course, this is something we in the Biker Community have recognized for years--it's about time the mainstream came on board!  SB 11, which would make Biometric Digitized Fingerprinting optional on our Drivers Licenses, is still alive, but the trouble is, Federal HB 418, the National ID Card plan, would trump this if it passes in the Senate.  The bill's sponsors, in a back-door move, have attached it to the National Highway Funding Bill which has been debated for some time, so it'll pass if we don't continue to agitate to have it removed.  Folks need to call U.S. Senators Inhofe and Coburn regarding this important Civil Liberties issue!

     The national scene has really been in turmoil regarding motorcyclists over the last month.  The Freedom Fight regarding helmet wear continues, with the advancement of Freedom of Choice bills in Missouri, Nebraska, California, Tennessee, West Virginia, and now Michigan and Nevada.  Unfortunately, similar proposals have now died in Virginia, Mississippi, Maryland and Georgia.  Hopefully, Liberty supporters in those states will have better luck next year.  Riding Freedom continues to be threatened in Maine, Connecticut and New Hampshire with moves to impose Universal Mandatory Helmet Laws, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that those will be defeated.  Once again, the nation's motorcycling community has been assaulted by an irresponsible media jerk, this time in response to a sensible move by the Legislature in Michigan to authorize Freedom of Choice regarding helmet wear for adult riders.  Some guy named Brian Dickerson, writing for the Detroit Free Press, advocates that motorcyclists be Mandatory Organ Donors, and that we should be denied medical treatment if in an accident!  It's amazing to what lengths some media types will go in an effort to boost sales.  The AMA has sent a response to the paper and to this bozo, just like they did to a similar Chicago reporter who ultimately printed a retraction to his article.  I swear, morons like these are like buzzing, noxious little flies!  Additionally, the Orlando Sentinel, a Pro-Helmet Law paper, came out with its annual post-Daytona Bike Week diatribe characterizing motorcyclists as a Public Burden, even though this year's death toll was lower than in years past, and an equal number of riders killed this year were wearing helmets.  Funny, but in a companion article, the Sentinel was decrying the large number of irresponsible motorists in Florida driving without valid licenses.  I wonder if that might be a more contributory factor behind the deaths and injuries in the Sunshine State!  And finally, Dr. Jeffrey Runge, the Director of the NHTSA, came out with some really inflammatory remarks regarding motorcyclists at a so-called "Lifesavers Conference", calling us "the scourge of the highway" among other things.  Quite frankly, I never expected much support for the Riding Community from Runge when he was first appointed, and feel that if he had his way, he'd force all bikes to stay off the road.  The Motorcycle Riders Foundation has filed a letter of protest with NHTSA and the US Department of Transportation, and is demanding a retraction and an apology to the nation's motorcyclists.  I expect that soon, you'll be able to read the full text of Dr. Runge's tripe at the MRF Website, www.mrf.org  Incidentally, for those that aren't aware, when you use your Spell-Checker and come to NHTSA, the first alternative is "NUTS".  Maybe Microsoft is well-informed as to what the NHTSA is about!

     Here's an outrageous incident involving a motorcycle wreck in Connecticut, which we're going to follow with interest.  A motorcyclist received a head injury in an accident, and someone on the scene dialed 911.  A Connecticut State Trooper, an officer with eighteen years experience, answered the phone, stated "too bad" and hung up!  Aghast, the caller dialed 911 AGAIN, and the same Trooper answered, stated "Well, he shouldn't have been playing games", and again hung up!  The individual called 911 a third time, got another dispatcher, and an ambulance was finally sent.  The Trooper has since been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation, and the State Police has apologized for his unprofessional conduct.  It's a shame that the actions of someone like this can bring down the image of the many in Law Enforcement that do so much good for the community. The injured motorcyclist has since died, and I wouldn't be surprised if his family sued the heck out of the CT State Police, who will be hard pressed to prove that their trooper's actions didn't contribute to the death by delaying emergency response.  In my opinion, what the officer did isn't too far removed from the way the Law Enforcement officials acted with our ABATE Brother Ray from Rogers County Chapter, or at Sgt. Ted and Marty Danks' bike wreck.  Incidentally, the ticket Ray received for driving in an unsafe manner, adding insult to injury, was dismissed "in the interest of Justice and with the full apologies of the court".

     Well, it's time for me to blast for another month.  As both the weather and the Motorcycling Season heat up,  I'll be looking for you around town and around the state.  Take full advantage of what makes the Sooner State one of the best areas in the Nation in which to ride on two- and three wheels.  I sincerely believe that the groundwork for a high-profile event like the Bike Expo was laid with the successful NCOM Convention last year in Oklahoma City.  Convention attendees were amazed at what a fantastic place Oklahoma was for motorcycling.  That's something we've known for a long time!  Even with the challenges that face us, we're very fortunate to enjoy the type of motorcycling Quality of Life that just doesn't exist in some other areas, and I continue to be glad that I set down my roots here after retiring from the military.  Speaking of the military, let's keep remembering our men and women in uniform that are out there in harm's way in our thoughts and prayers--there are more names of those that have given their lives for Freedom we need to commemorate this coming Memorial Day.  Tiger's Tip O' The Month: April Showers bring May Flowers, and also Severe Weather Season, so take the time to prepare for wet or windy weather before you ride!  Anticipate wind effects, especially cross winds, based on your riding route, and don't allow them to cause you to lose control of your machine.  Slow down or pull over as necessary--it's better to arrive at your destination a bit later than not at all!  Best wishes for Peace, Goodwill, and lots of Free Riding in this season of renewal, and I'll catch up to you as we roll on down the Highway!

Keep It On The Black Strip Between The Trees,      Tiger Mike