While everyone else is at the SoLR TEA Party this month, I had to stay home and take care of the dog. This is by no means a real party like most would expect, more booze is dumped at the end than consumed. This is a weekend for our people to get away together and share ideas and discuss them. So off I go to the ABATE District 3 Party. When I pull in I’m just amazed, where the hell is everyone? I find out this is pretty much it, $10 for all the beer you can drink, camping and a band and attendance was shockingly light. The food was good and reasonable too. I personally just went to see people and talk.

I got involved in some pretty good conversations on smart bullets, the EPA’s nonsense, helmet modification and some others. Talking with officers from other areas, things have slowed somewhat as far as attendance at meetings and events. Now that we have helmet modification, people think the work is done. I can not emphasize enough in the grand scheme of things these helmet laws are NOT important. Functions like this besides a good time are a chance for people to talk in a relaxed atmosphere. How can you react to something if you don’t know what the hell is going on? I remember Saturday night Big John talking about the gray beards in 67 & 68 saying PA will never get a lid law…….well we did. You can’t say something will never happen, as soon as you let your guard down it does. So go get involved, do something proactive……… there’s still plenty of time for fun and games.

Now about the Chopper Show, the weather was great and it was bigger, better and busier than ever. The gang from this Rag who put this together did one hell of a job……..Congratulations! With the opportunity of a large audience, SoLR decided to set up an information booth. Duck & Celeste from WV and T and myself put out thousands of SoLR Tri Folds and our handout on the impending EPA Legislation. The handout was made by Spotman from Iowa and is a simple in your face cause and effect, and what you can do to put the EPA in their place. For those who took one and think it can’t happen find someone who was riding back in 68 when the helmet laws were enacted. The only way it can’t happen is if YOU do something about it. If you couldn’t make it, all the info and then some is on the site http://www.solriders.com/issues This is important to stop before it gathers too much steam. While in there make sure you take a look at the letter Harley wrote to the EPA. They had no problem telling the EPA how this affects their business. Read it a few times and you’ll realize where they may want this to go.

Go here for everything you ever wanted to know about the Clean Air Act...http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaq_caa.html The EPA was established in 1970 to "Administer" the Clean Air Act, which was written in 1970. (Thanks to all the "Save the Planet Hippies" back then) The Clean Air Act has been amended and added to ever since by use of "Administrative Rules" which if not challenged - simply become law. (Case in point - the EPA's latest push to drive the emissions of motorcycles down to that of church-mouse fart!) Read on and grab your ankles!!! You'll find a whole socialist monarchy here that answers to no one!

Sandra Lee from CBA/ABATE of NC was killed on August 23. This is a woman who fought for tougher Right of Way Laws all her life and ended up murdered by a Right of Way violator. To read her last letter http://solriders.com/vault/090903 This is right up there with the EPA shit in priority. We have got to start holding cagers accountable for their actions. This seems to be one of the worst years I can remember as far as death and injury to US, we have to get attention on this NOW! Without a large involvement from the biker community this will be tough, do you really think cagers will lay down and let Bikers impose tougher penalties on them.

As we gather different Right of Way Laws and potential Bills I will add them to the States pages of the site so we can compare them and have knowledge of who has accomplished what and build on those successes. Usually the penalty for “not seeing a biker” and killing or injuring them result in a slap on the wrist and/or a small fine. While bikers continue to sit by and watch this happen. Well I’ll tell you right now SoLR has had enough. In the next year we will be working with others around the country to get stiffer Legislation enacted.