It was February-2017.. I was scrolling through Instagram and started seeing photos telling methat this ride, this ride I’ve seen get flooded out, frozen out, postponed andrescheduled.. Is coming up- it’s in Indiana.. Not far, it looks like all bikesare welcome, and it’s in April- so it is the first ride of the year, and I havea new goal to get my Ironhead running.
 I’ve known about the April Fuels ride inIndiana only from the internet. Vagueride photos of folks posing in knee deep water, bundled to the hilt as if itwere below zero- riding these hills of green and skies of blue- with captionslike “wet, sketchy and fun as fuck” faces full of smiles. I had never been able to make the commitmentdue to my job. But April Fuels 3 wasgoing to be the year that I made it.Â
Well, the weatherwasn't cooperating, and the run got pushed into May, so I didn’t make it. Andsomewhere in the back of my head I was glad- because my Ironhead wouldn’t havemade it. NO WAY.
It gave me an entireyear to get my bike in shape, and use the run as her maiden voyage. It was stuck in my head- I was GOING TO APRILFUELS 4- ON BREEZE.
@aprilfuels
   Fast forward throughmy build, and one year later… in the 12 months in between, I had made some goodfriends in Indy- gatherings like the Clam Jam and Mama Tried brought ustogether. I was convinced this yearApril Fuels was going to be checked off of my list. Things kept falling into place- an oldfriend.. Internet acquaintance? .. From The very first Quad Cam Bash, elevenyears ago, reached out to me, remembered me and my trip out to Ohio that summeron my brand new Nightster.. Rich asked if I wanted some company, and I wassuper stoked to meet up with him again. He let me know the man who puts ON April Fuels was part of the QCB backin the day, and I was more excited to meet him, for the second time- HOW IN THEWORLD does that happen? Small world for sure. So I was in. We were meetinghalfway from each other to go all the way to Edinburg Indiana. A mere 250+ mile trip for me and Breeze.. Butif you know, you know- NO TRIP is just a trip.. On an Ironhead…
We made bad time-having to stop for gas so frequently.. Her tank is about a gallon? Maybe… Butno issues.. Aside from having to tighten her motor/ignition mount at the firstgas stop, and this eventually lead to a missing motor mount bolt… Rich was on his wicked custom Evo sporty,keeping a steady pace for me and my old bike- staying close behind him Iwhizzed along pretty comfortably, really- for a ’76 sportster… If you’ve readmy past blogs- you know I’ve tried to ride this bike, multiple times toIndiana.. MULTIPLE times. EVERY SINGLETIME it broke down a mere 108 miles from home, in Mohomet Illinois. As we approached the water tower to Mohomet..I thought.. This is it!! I’m going to make it!!! I grabbed my phone to take apicture of the city sign to prove I broke the bikes boundary- and WHAM…absolutely true to my character, the planets are always aligned for me to fuckshit up- my phone gets blown out of my hand and bounces down the highway…FUCCKKK… I pull over.. Rich doesn't see me (no mirrors) and I figure I’ll catchup- I turn off the bike, and I go back, phones fine…thanks Life Proof Case! Ilost my IoCore from my IoMount- I’m sure it stuck to any passing car that wasmetal, since the magnets are so fucking strong!! So I could no longer stick myphone to my tank.. Since this bike wasn’t equipped with a proper mount… but Igot my phone- and I text Rich- just incase… I start to kick Breeze over, andjust as she gets fired up here comes Rich- BARRELING across the valley medianof grass that separates most of highway 74.. Like a fucking CHAMP! I’m dying at this point.. Absolutely laughingmy ass off that he came back, and also jumped a ditch to find me! These are the people I want in my life. Thereal people who have your back, and are down to ride- NO MATTER WHAT. Aftercollecting ourselves and laughing some more about how Rich, nearing the watertower to the INFAMOUS Ironhead killing town of Mohomet- he looks back to giveme a fuck yeah thumbs up- AND IM NOT THERE!!!!
 We get back on theroad, made a few more stops.. Danville for a drink and blue cheese nachos,which no one ate but me- they were delicious. I tightened my ignition ONE MORE time.. And I made sure it wasn't goinganywhere by filling the acorn nut UP with red locktite. FUCK IT. We GOT THIS!
@aprilfuels
   Arriving at themotel in Edinburg was almost etherial.. I mean.. When my bike .. That I builtall by myself.. made it across the state line, I cried. Like literally bawledin my helmet.. I was glad Rich didn’t have mirrors..
When we pulled up tothe hotel- we knew we were in the right place right away. Chopper next tochopper, next to evo, next to dyna, next to chopper.. I pulled in, and parked my bike next to oneof the only bikes I recognized.. A 2002 XL1200 I had just sold to Benny, an Indy native, a mere 2 weeks prior. It was already thrashed and stripped down, had a rusty tank welded tothe frame… yeah.. This is the place.
There were a fewfolks wandering around, and drinking a few beers- we made introductions, andthen a familiar face came walking up the hill from behind the hotel- it wasRyan- he informed me that Benny was down there, and he wanted my bike to bedown there too- so- away we went..
   Benny is an amateur photographer- I met him 3 years prior, because of his photos and attendance to events in theMidwest.
As I pushed Breezedown the hill into the dampened grass I could see they were setting up a Sportster chopper to shoot. A blue panhead was sitting inthe grass behind everyone doing photos- so I oogled it and watched as Benny executed long exposure shots in complete darkness of Nate’s bike – and its owner (and his abs). It was my turn next- I don't know WHY I didn’t do a ghost butt photo-probably because it was 36 degrees and I was freezing in my 3 layers from theride down! But I got some amazing shotsthat night- One that hangs in my living room- and makes me feel like magicevery time I look at it.
@bigmfbenny
Once the photo shootwas over, and we all made it back up to the parking lot, the pre-party anticswere already underway. There was a hugedildo.. Like.. ‘realistically’ painted, but abnormally gigantic, stuck to thehotel room adjacent to the one id be sharing with Benny, Ryan, and a fewothers.. I had only seen a giant BLUE one before.. So this one was new to themix. We stayed up and drank, spookingthe other patrons of the hotel, making it almost impossible for them to stayaway and NOT ask us questions, like.. Is that a CHICKEN tailight?! HOW does heRIDE that bike with such a small.. Seat?! Ryan refused to party- so he fellasleep at an early hour- prompting the rest of us to, obviously, toilet paperhis chopper. Laughing and telling stories, hearing about experiences fromeveryone on the ride, and anything else we wanted to talk about… the night wenton, and we faded- finding our ways to the rooms to get a few hours of sleepbefore we left on a days adventure.
@bigmfbenny
   Waking up in acramped motel room is normally a bad thing. But the next morning, I found myself havingto get up and get myself together, because I never want people waiting on me. Didn’t matter- I wasthe last one ready.. As more folks showed up to ride to the Harley Dealership,I popped out to say HI! Trying to get my hair in a braid and get packed up andloaded.. It was cold. 36* that morning.. And I’m thinking to myself.. OF COURSEI brought the kick start bike.. What an asshole.
@bigmfbenny
   The bikes are linedup- we are heading to breakfast, Ryan has wiped the last bit of soaking wet toilet paper from every crevice of his chopper, and it’s my third attempt to get Breeze towarm up and turn over.. At least I wasn’t cold- I was sweating my ass off.” GO AHEAD AND GO, Ill meet you there!” As I duck in to the motel room to grab mytank bag and make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything else. I hear “Do youwant me to try?” Benny, smiling down at me gesturing toward the bike- atthis point, I was sure it wasn’t going to start until it heated up in the sun-she was COLD.. And I wasn’t heavy enough to get her over until then.  Thinking of how everyone insisted on waitingfor me- If you want to- I smiled- go ahead.
Breeze’s two kickproved standard as he easily used his weight to kick her over.  I wish, sometimes, I had that advantage.. Asshe warmed up, I thanked him- the first person to start Breeze, besides me, in3 years. And here I was- not offended.Not upset, and not discouraged. I wasthankful.
We went to eat.Coffee was amazing, and the bikes lined up out front looked great! I was sostoked on Breeze.. I just hoped she wouldn't make me look like a chump. We tookoff and rode into the dealership meeting point, where, to my amazement therewere a Lot of bikes- 40+ last count. Wepulled in and went to meeting everyone, talking, getting our shit together asfar as raffles and ride rules- and this is when I noticed my motor mount boltwas missing. WHAAAAA??! Shit. When the fuck did that happen? That TING noise..I KNOW I heard it fall..
So I run in,thinking the parts counter or techs could find me one… 20 minutes later-true toany Harley Service Department- NOPE. I just tightened down what I had, and awaywe went.
@amysuesporty
   The roads werebeautiful, the day was cold and crisp- the sky was amazing and the sun wasbright. We curved down the roads, on ourway to a pizza destination- but about 40 miles in- I started having shiftingissues. .. Breeze wasn't acting right, and a bad noise was creeping into myears from below.. FFAAACCKKKK.. We were so close to the gas stop, that I triedto just hang back and take it easy- Benny realized I was having issues, hemotioned, asking if he should stay by me- NO WAY!! I screamed- go take yourpictures!! I’ll see you at the next stop! I was just cruising in third-everything was okay until the stopping and starting- luckily we went through somany intersections without stopping, I made it another 20 miles.. And thenthings got bad- the noise was worse than I could handle, and it backfiredonce.. Twice- Yeah I’m done.. I motioned behind me that I was pulling over- andI saw a side road that gave me the opportunity I was looking for.Â
I’m done! Need thechase truck and trailer- loaded up the bike, Gary stopped to help and Bennyoffered his backseat… This will be different.
I’ve only ridden on rides on separate bikes, this will be the first time I’d riddenon the back of a bike. In a long time. Period. Not to mention with a man I’veseen zoom past with camera in hand, below the seat of his bike and his left hand on the throttle to catch up and GET THE PICTURE… insane.
I do NOT want to getin your way!! Just elbow me okay- instructions as I put on his pack and climbon the back of the bike I sold him 2 weeks prior. Insane.
@bigmfbenny
   So I learned a fewthings that day. One was that you need to check your primary oil in an Ironheadalmost every single time you ride it..like I ride.. Just because. I learned youneed to tighten any bolts associated with any part that may have had a boltcome loose. And add the maximum amount of locktite. Just because. I learnedthat real friends aren’t measured by the amount of time you've known them.  Â
By the time we madeit to the Pizza place for lunch, we heard there was a wreck.. Somewhere behindwhere I broke down. . FAAACK.
   Everyone was okay-which was good.. Luke, one of the bikes that went down, I had met at the ClamJam a few years ago- He was a little torn up- but it was so cold, it just mostly ate away his cart harts.. he hadlayers.. He was okay. Trooper! Picked up and carried on to the end.. Right onman. You deserve a trophy for that shit. Next year.. Trophies. Ill make them..Best wreck- piece of shit- trooper awards… im in. no charge.
So- the rest of theride back to point A went smooth- I was on the back, Breeze in a trailer.. Poor girl.
She made itmandatory that I get her a ride home- the entire four hours in the back of a truck..Â
Overall, the weekendwas a raving success. The group made it back and we all had a good time winningfree shit and talking about the day… thanks to April Fuels and Cooker forputting on such an awesome, well planned and **prepared** event. ** I needed a trailer…this is the best idea ever**
You’d think I was living a fairy tale or something..
 For the photos of the entire weekend to get the full effect of what I’m talking about: GO HERE YOU WONT BE SORRY!!!