ABATE of Oklahoma

Greetings to my Motorcycling Family! We’ve been blessed with truly optimum Spring riding weather in Oklahoma as we enter Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month, and I’m certainly glad for that, after the crazy meteorological swings of the past Winter. We’re getting May off to a good start with the addition of a brand-spanking- new ABATE Chapter. At the April State Board Meeting, we formally included and welcomed the Kiamichi Chapter of ABATE of Oklahoma, based out of Ada with over twenty Charter Members. A hearty hello and “Welcome Aboard” to the Kiamichi Chapter, our thirteenth! Rosco, their Chapter Representative, attended the Board Meeting to make the first Kiamichi ABATE contributions. He’ll be assisted at that position by Ditto, his twin brother, so whoever is at the Board Meetings will look the same! I very much look forward to working closely with our Ada-area Brothers and Sisters in the future as we do great things together for Sooner State motorcyclists and trikers! I was also touched wistfully by our State Board officially dissolving the South East Chapter, which was one of our oldest, but had been suspended for some time due to insufficient membership. I remember a lot of good times celebrated with that Chapter in the past, and we certainly can’t forget all the history that has made our Organization what it is today, as we enter our third decade. That said, those who might have been with the South East Chapter in the past and desire to renew their ABATE involvement are cordially invited to take part in the good things the Kiamichi Chapter is planning!!

Spring has also been made rosier with the passage of Gunner’s Bill, our Motorcycling Safety, Education and Awareness initiative, in the State Senate by a vote of 44-0. Now, it goes to Governor Henry’s office for signature, and it should become law by the time you read this. The Governor hasn’t indicated he’ll veto the bill, and I believe we’d have the votes to override a veto anyway. Many thanks to Suzette Northcutt-Rhodes, our Lobbyist; to John Pierce, our Legislative Liaison; to those ABATE Members who contributed so much of their time visiting the Capitol, walking the halls and buttonholing Legislators; and to all of you out there who made the phone calls, sent e-mails, and conducted office visits to make this significant advance happen. This is a shared victory for all Freedom Fighters in the Sooner State, and I couldn’t be more proud of all of you! Every one of us needs to be sure to call our Representatives and Senators who voted for this landmark bill and thank them for their support. The fundamental reason for ABATE’s pursuing Gunner’s Law, as we’ve mentioned many times, is that it will directly contribute to reducing motorcycling deaths and injuries in our state, and I look forward to seeing that happen as quickly as possible. That way, it’ll serve as a fitting tribute to the life of Bob Catcher, a good man and dedicated Freedom Fighter taken from us far too early!

I’m very much looking forward to attending the Silver Anniversary National Coalition Of Motorcyclists Convention May 6-9 in Orlando, Florida. I’ve mentioned this significant event over the last couple of months, and now the time is here! Anybody in the Sooner State who decides to attend at the last minute can obtain information or download an event flyer by logging onto www.aimncom. com It should prove to be a very educational, interesting and informative occasion, as one of the major Biker-oriented social events of the year. As a continuing member of the NCOM Board Of Directors representing ABATE of Oklahoma’s interests, I’ll be sure to provide a complete recap of how the Convention went when I get back. Oklahoma’s Confederation of Clubs will have a number of its member group representatives attending as well, and I anticipate Oklahoma’s Riding Community receiving National-level attention and focus as the Strategic Alliance Program initiative is presented at the NCOM Christian Unity Conference during the Convention. To prepare for this, over one hundred Spiritual and Service-oriented riding group members, including Chaplains of some of America’s largest motorcycle clubs, attended a Strategic Alliance gathering in Tulsa the end of March. Topics covered included how to more effectively relate to the non-Biker community, how to approach critical situations like death, imprisonment or hospitalization with Bikers and their families, and Biker Club heritage, respect and protocol. The gathering provided an excellent forum for some of our most experienced and traditional Biker Lifestyle proponents to share important information accumulated from decades of living that Lifestyle on the Road. Speaking of which, the OK Confederation has produced a handbook regarding motorcycling groups communicating better and exercising that mutual respect and awareness of tradition. You can learn more by checking out the Confederation’s website at: www.okcoc.net

With so many of our Brothers and Sisters in the Armed Forces putting their lives on the line for our Liberty, many with multiple tours of duty, I hope all of you will be sure to include two important Veterans-oriented events on your motorcycling calendars. Sunday, May 23, will mark ABATE's Sunset Chapter again hosting Operation Carry The Flame Across America, starting at the VFW Post 382, the event’s co-host, on Highway 81 in El Reno, OK. Every year, a large group of Freedom-supporting riders heads out to Clinton to meet the contingent of Carry The Flame motorcyclists and trikers traveling to Washington, DC for Operation Rolling Thunder. They are escorted into El Reno for lunch and a get-together, including a Torch-Lighting Ceremony, and a significant amount of money is donated for Operation Purple’s Summer Camp for disadvantaged Military Children. It's an inspiring and festive event, with many Veterans, Active-Duty Military, and Blue-and Gold-Star Families attending, and it’s well-worth being part of. An event T-Shirt design is unveiled every year as a fund-raiser, and the 2010 design should prove to be as amazing as in years past. Make sure to get yours! ABATE of Oklahoma, led by its Central OK District, will put on the annual Memorial Day Bike Parade to the Oklahoma State Capitol Veterans' Memorial Park, which we've accomplished for almost two decades now! This occasion provides us with an excellent opportunity to honor the memory of those in America's Military who have made the Supreme Sacrifice to defend Freedom. We have an ever-increasing number of motorcyclists and trikers join in, and it's evolved into a significant event with which to enhance the positive image of Motorcycling before all Oklahomans as well. Last Veterans’ Day, we had hundreds attend, and the parade route went past the front of the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, where inpatients and Disabled Veterans enthusiastically expressed their support for our own little "Oklahoma Rolling Thunder". Be sure to obtain more detailed information on these events and print flyers by logging onto the continuously improved ABATE of Oklahoma State Website at: www.abateofoklahoma .org Check out all the additional content Deb, our Web-Genius, has included, and download our latest copy of our ABATE of Oklahoma Biker Journal as well while you’re there!

Tiger’s Tip O’ The Month: Many of us are fast logging more miles this May to make up for the delays we experienced in March and early April due to poor weather. As we urge other motorists to Share the Road, be sure to continue to watch for those who aren’t looking out for you. Constantly change your position in the roadway—after all, you pay for it with your taxes! If you stay in the same track for an extended period, odds are you'll have a cage attempting to take half of it away from you. So, relocate from the left to the right tire track from time to time, keeping a sharp lookout for traffic in the adjacent lanes. Watch out for the middle, especially during wet weather right after the rain starts, because of the accumulated oil making things slippery and the risk of hydroplaning in rising water levels. The rainy season also means a significant increase in potholes, so watch out for those as well.

Well, I’d better wrap this up for another month-the Highway beckons! Before I hit the dusty trail, I want to express my thanks to the ever-increasing number of ABATE Members who are getting more involved in defending Motorcyclists’ Rights and Liberty. By the time you hear from me again, I expect our state to also pass the Malfunctioning Traffic Light Act, and we’ll have three experienced motorcyclists installed on the Oklahoma Motorcyclist Advisory Council, working closely with the State Government on issues to improve our Riding Quality of Life. I also expect to see increased penalties for negligent, irresponsible, and distracted motorists who fail to attend to their primary task at hand: namely safely driving their motor vehicles and Sharing the Road! Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month is made extra special this year, thanks to folks like Randy Jones of ABATE’s South Central Chapter, who secured City Proclamations from towns such as Noble, Slaughterville and Norman, OK. Our Governor has issued a State Proclamation again, but more local focus and attention will definitely help reduce crashes! Expect to see more Public Service Announcements as well, and a Rider Education Training Program trailer might even show up in your town, as it has in Edmond. Continue to Ride Safely, Sober and Aware, and I’ll check in with you in June, as we get ready for the Long, Hot Summer!!

Keep It On The Black Strip Between The Trees,

Tiger Mike