Famous Statue Returns to Italy

After a two year visit to the United States, Michelangelo's David is returning to Italy ...

His Proud Sponsors in the U.S.A.were:

Thanx to Cheezstyx. Made us laugh out loud when we got the e-mail.

Run for Florida Motorcycle Memorial

On Saturday, June 20th, there was a poker run to kick off fund raising for a Memorial for Florida Motorcyclists. Originally, the run was on May 23 but due to torrential down pours, that run was rescheduled to this past weekend.

This time around it was the brutal heat that plaqued the event. Man oh man was it hot or what?!?! Over 100 degrees and the humidity was just about unbearable. Below, Dani and Gina sign upu some of the local DeLand participants.

Dixie Biker is on board to help support the efforts of Ed and Dani and making this deal a reality. Trader Jack's Roadside has donated some land for the Memorial, and we hope to have a ground breaking by the end of 2009.

Below are some early participants of the local run.

Some of our great staff donated time and effort to the cause and started poker runs in Mt. Dora-Tavares; Ocala; Jacksonville; Orlando (Longwood); and Volusia County. Thanks to Hark and Wild Bill; Johnny P (in his shorts, sneekers and golf shirt ridin' around on his fat boy!); Rocker, Tim & Christy; and Carolina Dave and Kim.

And we mighta even met a new couple to cover Pasco, Hernando and Hillsborough Counties: Kevin and Michelle (below). We originally met them at The Hideaway on Little Lake Harris during the Leesburg Bike Fest, but they came out to support this event and noticed our 'help wanted' ad in the June issue of the magazine. We explained how it works and what it means, and hopefully we'll have the newest moto-journalists for our team at DBI.

Ed and Dani, DBI readers with the dream to make the Memorial a reality in Florida, explaining what's goin' on after the last in. Dani even marked out the area where the Memorial's gonna be set up so folks could take a look at it. Plus pictures, sponsors and ideas of where this thing is goin'. We'll have lotsa info in the magazine in future issues.

Tara, right, and Jane, left, kept things interesting and kept the frozen drinks flowing. They're always sweethearts and the whole crew at Trader Jack's Roadside takes care of bikers month in and month out.
THe next fund raiser for the Memorial will be during our annual "Dang! I Couldn't Go to Sturgis" weekend blow out at Trader Jack's Roadside on August 8th and 9th. Look for the info next month on that one. Lisa, the owner of Trader Jack's, promises lotsa surprises, and you know us - Dixie Biker's always throwin' caution to the wind and comin' up with some over the top shit to have a good time. Promise this one will be hot, wet and lotsa fun!

Picture worth a thousand words

Republicans and independents, too. No politician gives a damn about our wallets.

Fossil Discovery in Washington DC

An archeological team digging in Washington DC has uncovered 10,000 year old bones and fossil remains of what is believed to be the first Democrat ...

Liberty Died

We took a week off to recharge the batteries, get away from computers, motorcycles and cell phones and celebrate our Anniversary away from the daily grind. Now it's time to get back into the swing of things. But while we were out, I think the American Dream died. Here's a post from the Wall Street Journal's website today:

When the Supreme Court refused to halt the bankruptcy proceedings at Chrysler, the rule of law died and with it America ("High Court Clears Way for Chrysler's Sale," page one, June 10). To reward the people who drove Chrysler and General Motors to financial ruin and to punish the people who in good faith invested their savings in these companies is an abomination. Bankruptcy laws were created to protect the innocent, not reward the guilty.

I cannot force the Supreme Court to obey the law. I cannot force Congress to obey the Constitution. I can only exercise what little economic power I have. Let the word go forth that from this day on, I will buy no GM or Chrysler/Fiat product. I will encourage all I know to do the same.

David Forsten

Dayton, Tenn.

We concur. If I wanted to own a piece of GM, I would've bought stock in the company. But now I 'own' the company because the Federal government took my money and 'bought' 60% of GM.Where in the constitution does it say the government has the right to take my money and buy a private company?

Who or What is next on the government's hit list?

Whaddya have when it really matters?

We spend lotsa time ridin' the by-ways with our friends and our readers doin' all kinds of crazy shit., and we have absolutely wonderful times. But sometimes ya just gotta take a break from the day to day things and git back to what it's all about:

Livin' life with your loved ones to capture those awesome little things that fill up the pages in your Life's Little Book of Memories. Summer's here and it's a great time to take a break from the motorcyles and head to the beach with our grandkids ...

This is grand daughter Peyton Jo who's so excited she almost peed her pants. "Poppi! (that's me) Poppi look!!! There's dolphins swimming right there by the beach. I'm not lieing -- they really are!"

Sure enough ... they were in close, too.

Those that know me know that I never go ANYWHERE without my camera, and this is one of the reasons why. How many times have you said to yourself, "Damn! I can't believe I don't have my camera!" Or, "Dang, I wish I had my camera!"

Well, I always have mine with me. Peyton's older brother Cody, who was boggie boardin', hadda chime in, too. "Really, Poppi!" he said. "Peyton's not telling stories -- there really are dolphins right THERE!"

"I knnow, Cody," I replied. "Pretty cool, huh?! I'm takin' pictures."

So that will be a definite entry and another chapter in my little book of Life's Memories. 

And what to do after the beach? Why, wash off the salt and sand in the pool, of course. Son Phil and daughter Machelle with three of our six - soon to be seven - grand kids goofin' off after a long day.

So anyhow ...

Live your life to the fullest; 

take time to make the memories; 

and most of all ...

Play and love often and hard!

You can rest when you die.