Harley bikers -- lots of "outlaw lore," feature movies, urban/cultural mythology.

The other day I was sitting in the coffee house (my other home) when a group of riders pulled into the parking lot. The coffee house shares parking with the "saloon" next door -- which is a "biker bar" and a decent enough place to get steak, eggs, hash-browns, and a Blood Mary, Screwdriver, or Tequila Sunrise at 7:00 AM any day of the week.

A dozen riders on "bobbers" -- all wearing "colors" and "rockers." There was the customary fixed-blade attached to the sissy bar of one bike, another featured a very nice, custom made brass ball-peen hammer, hickory handle, in a custom leather carry holster.

Since I was wearing my Harley-Davidson T shirt, black jeans and boots -- and I own one -- I stepped outside to see what they were riding, talk bikes, figure out where they were headed.

Riding out Hwy 30 from the Longview / Kelso WA area, they were just "on a ride down to the beach." Mary's here in Astoria is a biker bar. Dundee's in Seaside. There are a couple stops on the WA side of the Columbia River on the way back to Longview.

Rockers, assless chaps, leathers, knives, hammers . . . long hair, beards, stickers on helmets "I'm a social drinker, but I smoke dope like a mother . . . " "If you don't like what you see, don't look."

OK, so lessee here . . .

My bike is Denim Black, Street Glide, full-dress. Black on black for riding: jacket, assless chaps, boots, black helmet, black tinted visor, dark aviator shades. Sometimes I wear a fixed blade -- out of my "collection" of more than 100. I have a concealed-carry permit, Smith & Wesson .357 magnum in the jacket pocket. Long hair . . .

I get along with the local police, sheriff -- they get coffee where I do, at the coffee house.

Right now I shaved my beard, but when I have one it looks like Santa or ZZ Top. Kids at Mickey D's think I'm Santa, the parents are horrified.

I'm pretty gregarious, engaging, articulate. I don't view myself as an "outlaw biker."

But I often wonder what other people are thinking ???

 

Well, it depends on the "other people's" perspective is. Now that you've posted on this forum that you were hanging out at a coffee house, most on this forum would label you as a poser. If you posted this on the Duncan Donuts forum (if there is such a thing), you'd be labeled a dirty biker.

 

I'm confused. The place next door serves alcohol at all hours of the day but you were in the coffee shop?

 

You've probably cultivated that "look" for a long time so I have little doubt that you don't know what people think of you. Besides, why care?

 

Thinking about what?
Some guys want to project an "image" for attention or play a role like an actor in a bad movie. Some of us just want to be safe or comfortable.
Got a favorite jean jacket I wear sometimes riding but doesn't garner me much attention......thankfully.

To each their own I would say........

 

Don't worry what others think of you. Ask yourself this: Are you living for them? or for yourself and your loved ones? Are others paying your bills?

I wear a black cowboy hat because I wanted one...not because I care what people think of how I look in it. I wear my leather vest pretty much anytime I am wearing jeans and boots (leather with sneakers is not flattering on me for some reason) because it is convienent to carry cell phone, cigs/lighter....etc. I have a goatee and mustache, earrings and tattoos. I carry a pocket knife almost everywhere, and I also have a .357 Mag that I carry concealed with a permit anywhere it is legal.

When I first started attending Loveland Baptist Church (Loveland, CO) I showed up in my vest, jeans, boots....and a few of the ladies later told me they thought i was there to cause trouble. BUT...it only took a few days before they got to know me and knew what was on the inside was not what they expected based on their judgments of the outside. I am now a Deacon for LBC, and before marriage and kids filled up my calendar, I also taught Sunday School, hosted the Teen Youth Group meetings and have even preached a few sermons (Though my anxiety makes it sounds like an auctioneer running through the bible stories/verses).

Hmmm...anxiety isn't my only problem, apparently some ADD too......well...where was I?

I guess what all of my rambling was intended to say is: If someone knows you, they don't care about your looks or dress. If you are a good, honest, trustworthy person your reputation will proceed you and people will not be afraid or think you are an outlaw. Once people get to know you, like me and my church, they will tell others about you....though that door swings both ways, good or bad.

 

Yes, you are confused -- State law here bans sales of alcohol between 2:30 AM and 7:00 AM, every day.

Alcohol is essentially a sugar on steroids. I'm diabetic.

Mary, who owns "Mary's Workers Bar" next door is a recovering alcoholic. (Not sure what that has to do with anything.

I suppose I'm a poser, only I spell it "poseur" -- which further suggests that I am. My credit numbers are in the 800's, and I use American Express. *LMAO* I live out in the boonies where I can't get a cell phone signal, and am stuck with dial-up. The coffee house has WiFi, lets me order "off the menu," lets me access the "employees only" areas, and lets me stay after hours.

Only thing I give much thought to when riding is the comparative price of gas.

 

Woah. Take a joke, man.

 

Yeah, I understand that my chain is being jerked. You need to realize that I'm jerking back . . .

 

We're so bad, we wear these:



To wipe our *****.