Saturday, December 31, 2005

Happy New Year!



Happy New Year everyone! Here's to good health, safe riding (lots if it!), lots less stress (& may our bi-polar friends find some balance). May all evil computer hackers have their little fingers flayed - so every time they go to hurt someone who is NOT hurting anyone else AT ALL (and maybe even doing some good in the world...!) , they will think again and go after someone evil... or themselves... or no one at all! Here's to wind in your hair, sore smile muscles, and lots of true and honest family & friends to spend life with! May your magnetos never lose their charge, your loved ones stay safe, and as Jay Allen (Broken Spoke Saloon) says. "Keep the shiny side up!" (or sideways) - depending!
May our animals live long and healthy lives. For those poor creatures who are homeless or neglected or abused (no matter the reason), may they get a chance to live also... without the pain of hunger, or lack of love they so desperately need. Please help: click here every day to feed 6 animals for free - and tell your friends! It costs you absolutely nothing - 'cept a moment of your time to go & click every day. If there is not enough food donated for all the animals who are in need... well, you know... it's a bad thing..... Please help... Thanks to Rebecca Jackson for the info! Website link is below:
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CTDSites.woa

I am hoping that the Motorcycle Femmes Fatales will live up to their goals - doing good stuff for lots of others while adding more positive experiences to their showcase of talents; showing that we all can multitask creatively- and it isn't a BAD thing! Music, art, and motorcycles DO go together - like life and the world... it is what you make it! ...and we make it lots!
For those of you who are not familiar with the first of these women in our group (there are more women involved with whom you will meet as we continue on), they are:
GOTHGIRL- (from San Francisco and Discovery Channel fame) with her music, both popular and her original pieces (which will bring tears to your eyes as they touch your heart), her artistic creativity, shininess, extra quick wit and mischievious sense of humor that the world needs way more of! GOTHGIRL also has her cat, who shares her sensibilities...!) Sara Liberte -artiste extraordinaire, with her creative take on photos she's fused with the machines her subjects love the best - her works are very intense and personal. Along with her artwork and bike designing and building (which she has written a book about), she and her best friend & partner Ron put out some of the most original and finest work from their small shop in Pa. There have been many great articles on Sara and her work in the industry's publications. She & Ron also have 3 energetic(!) ferret guys to keep her busy and fill her life with their ferret-love! Joann Bortles (Crazyhorse) is a motorcycle artist who has taken the technique of painting fire to new heights in her career projects. She has won many awards for her paintjobs and bikes, as have her clients, and she shares her knowledge in the books she writes on doing these techniques yourself. Lots more to come from Joann! Last for now, is S.Morgan Storm, who just wants to ride the Wall (and jump out of airplanes and race vintage bikes (Thanks, Jay A.!). If necessary, she swings a hammer for a living in the off season, but her artwork is her primary business when not performing in the Motor Drome. All her designs are original & everything is custom work -fine art, pen & inks, murals, faux finishing, glass etching, stained glass, etc. Morgan also plays guitar... & is attempting to learn violin & keyboard (& her 2 dogs don't leave as fast as they used to when the fiddle came out!).
The Femmes Fatales site is presentlyunder construction... here's our first cartoon(up top) - thanks to Thunder from Cycle Source Magazine(see below blog). Thanks Thunder and Chris and Ron and Jay and Rodent and Ice and Marjorie and so many more of our friends who have had only positive input for us lately! Everyone have a Safe & Happy! I will have a happy as soon as the top end of Lily is done (arghhh!)
-S.Morgan Storm




Thursday, December 29, 2005

Last of 2005


Crazy Horse here- There was a time not too long ago when I could not wait to get the hell out of 2005. So much bullshit happened. You know what kind of stuff I mean, the times that involve dishonesty, phoney stuff, just real unnessesary things. It colored my perception during the year. But now, looking back there were some truly awesome moments and most of them involved motorcycles and the people in the bike business.
People like Sara Liberte. Sara is beautiful inside and out. She's talented, witty, energetic and honest. I am honored to call her friend.
Margorie Klieman is another person who came into my life. For those who don't recognize the name, she is editor of American Iron Retailer, as well as a writer for American Iron, AI Choppers, and Thunder Press. She practically lives on her Dyna. Not one of those lady journalists that show up in daisy dukes and in a van. Marge is real.
None of you have heard of Barb Wilson, but any rider, male or female would love to ride alongside this woman. Barb rides like the wind, and she rolls on the miles. Danm this woman rode all the way from NJ down to my place in NC to ride around one day with me this past summer. Then in Sept she rode from Jersey down to Ocean City, MaryLand to help me at a bike event. Now that doesn't sound like much of a ride does it? But try it 2 weeks after having nearly half your lung capacity removed. Major surgery that she did not have a 100% chance of surviving. But she's living life 100% after it. That's Barb riding the Dragon's Tail in the picture above.
Morgan Storm, one person I sure wish I could have spent more time with this year. I don't understand rich folks who run to the head dr every week. Hell, if I had enough money I'd spend my time visiting my friends, riding with them, playing cards, telling stories and creating new ones to tell.
Good friends and good rides are what make life worth living. And my friends new and old were there for me this year. Sometimes it's easy to get lost and lose track of what is truly important. And that's what friends do, they are there for you even tho you're doing stupid shit, they listen while you complain about the aftermath of the stupid shit you did, they try and help you dig yourself out of the shit, and then they are there for you for you're ready to enjoy life again. And the most importantly, they don't judge you cos you're stupid. Cos they know everyone has their moments of stupidity, whether it's trusting the wrong person or trusting your own poor judgement. Yup, and those are the friends worth keeping.
2006 - I have no idea what is in store for me. I just want to enjoy the journey. Stay away from the pitfalls this time, spend more time in the seat of either of my bikes, and watch more sunsets over the Black Hills.

Monday, December 26, 2005

Happy Holidays & New Year!



Just some Holiday pics to brighten your day! "Santa" Alan Ford from England on the wall! The mistletoe cartoon is for Goth's "Skunk" from "Mischief" & "Daisy"(Sam)! ...and of course a "Mischief present"! Happy Holidays & New Year from all of us & our critters, too! -S. Morgan Storm

Friday, December 23, 2005

Hell Froze Over Friday



A Friday I can enjoy? Got my work done? Yes. No fricking way. All I have to do this morning is burn pictures to a disc and drop it in the Fed Ex box. Unreal.
I thought I'd share the above pic with everyone. It was one of the many cool moments at Sturgis this year. I stopped over Jose's to return a jacket and Billy Lane and my editor Darwin Holmstrom stopped in. We all ended up sitting on the floor of Jose's garage talking about everything from old cars to old days to I can't remember what. No celebrity stuff, no posturing, no bullshit, just bullshitting. Darwin is one wild dude. He's the bald guy. Very extreme. He used to race bikes and knew Hunter Thompson. And he's one guy who could of kept up with Hunter, in fact he could write a book about his "bad old" days. Maybe we all could. I think everyone sitting on that floor has quite the past.
I wish the whole year coulda been like that, and it could have been. Oh well.
Worked in my studio last night. No, not on bikes yet! It was a softball helmet. Present for a little girl. But there are killer evil projects waiting to be worked on. Gotta one of my favorite paint jobs soon to be featured in American Iron. My husband's bike. Poor guy deserves it. He works all day on bikes then comes home to our garage and works on bikes a few more hours. And he barely makes enough to pay his bills. Nope, no celebrity builder stuff here. Just two people who dig bikes. Too much to sell our last 2 projects, both of which were built to sell. But we loved them so much we kept them. See that is how you make money in the bike business. Build them - then - sell them! Guess I missed that lesson. What would I rather have? All my bills paid off and a new roof on the house or a brutal chopper out in the garage? Hum, easy choice for me.
So today ...I will not paint bikes. I will do a very girl thing. I will shop with one of my best girl friends. Ginny is a tall blonde with blue eyes that can kill at 10 paces. She rides. She's cool. More about her later. I'll find a good pic to post. She is beautiful. AND SHE'S SINGLE! Hey guys - maybe we'll have a win a dream date with Ginny contest. Men would have to write an essay on why they should have a date with this incredible lady. No posers or fuckheads please. Ginny will read them and choose her date. More later.
I will not paint bikes tomorrow either! Or the next day. But I may paint some the day after. This is the first holiday in many years, that I have not had to paint during Christmas or Christmas eve. Wow! Just like when I used to work in factories and they gave us time off for Christmas. Gee, do they do that anymore?

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Can't believe I'm saying this


But I miss painting bikes. Not that I painted any today. But I spent some time in the paint booth today for the first time in nearly 2 months. I've been painting, but I've been painting on cars and trucks, working on the car book.
Finishing off the last of the Miata parts. Buffed on the Miata. Did some Christmas shopping today. Sent off more photos for the book. As far as the book goes, got to read through the rest of the edited chapters but sent in 6 of them this morning. I've been running all day.
Outside, the outline of my house glows with blue lights through the darkness of the trees. Blue candles in the windows. Blue lighted wreath on the front of the garage. Many years ago, I used to drive in the night, coming back from delivering bike parts, seeing the houses in the woods lit up with decorations. Those houses looked so cozy and safe.
So right now it feels so very very good to put on my jammies and sit down on the couch. Now I'll curl up under the indian blanket I bought 2 years ago on a trip out west. My husband says he's getting old, well long nights felt tiring 25 years ago. Putting in 16 or 18 hour days has always felt horrible. But atleast I can sit on my comfy couch in my safe warm little house. And that's a hell of alot more than I had 25 years ago. -----Crazy Horse

The Cycle Source Magazine


Check out one of our favorite mag's the Cycle Source. This is a grass roots motorcycle publication and covers all the great stuff we love in motorcycling. Chris is an awesome dude who supports us and everything about motorcyling. Check out the site and subscribe online.. www.cyclesource.com ~Liberte

Morgan Storm, Wall Of Death Stunt Rider


This is Morgan Storm, the coolest female Wall Of Death Stunt Rider. Morgan always credits those who rode before her especially her mentor, father and friend, Sonny Pelaquin. Be sure to check out her website for a taste of vintage WALL RIDING DAYS FROM THE EARLY 20'S..... www.thrillarena.com

The Broken Spoke Saloon


The Broken Spoke Saloon...where all the cool kids hang
This is the Image Fusion portrait I did of a great friend of mine, and all the Femme Fatales, Jay Allen. Jay owns the biggest, best Biker Bar, the Broken Spoke Saloon. The Spoke is the Femme Fatales FAVORITE spot to hang at during the bike week events. Jay is the real deal man,Morgan even trained him to ride The WALL OF DEATH, and he rocks! so make sure you stop by to say "Hi" when your out at an event. Tell Jay the Femme Fatales sent ya... ~Liberte

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Have You Seen This Mystery Woman?

The Truth Died yesterday

Crazy Horse here- Jack Anderson died yesterday. For those who don't know, who have no idea, Jack was the first of the whole truth journalists. He struck fear into the hearts of corrupt politians everywhere. The column broke a string of big scandals, from Eisenhower assistant Sherman Adams taking a vicuna coat and other gifts from a wealthy industrialist in 1958 to the Reagan administration's secret arms-for-hostages deal with Iran in 1986.
Anderson won a 1972 Pulitzer Prize for reporting that the Nixon administration secretly tilted toward Pakistan in its war with India. He also published the secret transcripts of the Watergate grand jury.
Such scoops earned him a spot on President Nixon's "enemies list." Watergate conspirator G. Gordon Liddy has described how he and other Nixon political operatives planned ways to silence Anderson permanently — such as slipping him LSD or staging a fatal car crash — but the White House nixed the idea.
Over the years, Anderson was threatened by the Mafia and investigated by numerous government agencies trying to trace the sources of his leaks. In 1989, police investigated him for smuggling a gun into the U.S. Capitol to demonstrate security lapses.
Known for his toughness on the trail of a story, he was also praised for personal kindness. Anderson's son Kevin said that when his father's reporting led to the arrest of some involved in the Watergate scandal, he aided their families financially.
So what does this have to do with motorcycles? It's a well known fact the politians don't like motorcycles, especially custom motorcycles, hence that abomination of a law that makes it illegal to own more than one custom bike in your lifetime.
Bikers have always been about truth. And truth in this country is a rare thing to find. It takes guts to stand up for the truth, especially when very powerful people are after you.
But this man did just that. Thanks Jack. You made this world a better place.

Friday, December 16, 2005

There is an evil chop outside


Crazy Horse here - Outside my kitchen door is a little shop. Looking at the boring brown structure, you'd never guess what's beyond the nondescript door. There are a few fairly evil bikes in there. Well if I was real cool, I'd call them choppers. One the old man built back in '71. It's the coolest fricking honda hardtail ever. Then there's my old road dog 1200 sporty. It doesn't get washed. Poor bike. I fell off the trailer with it this past summer. Shoulda known better. It don't like trailers and will seldom get on one. Can't leave out the gooseneck. That bike is just plain sweet, rides sweet, looks sweet. And it's mine. Unbelievable.
But this is not about that old stuff. The evil chop? It will not be seen by the public until the Charlotte Easyriders Show. There ain't nothing like it out there. Pure evil. No one is expecting anything like this to come out of my paint shop. I can't want to see the looks on people's faces when they see it.
Meanwhile, I have almost finished painting the Miata. That means I can finish writing my third book. Then my publisher can take my picture off his dartboard. Then I can back to painting bikes. Then my customers can take my picture off their dartboards.
Fuckhead Blake update - Lindsey is due to go over to Blake's house and slap his face next week. Question is - will her dad bail her out if she gets arrested?
Ok, some serious stuff. The Femme Fatales will actually be at the VTwin Show in Cinci. We won't have a booth or anything intelligent like that. No, we'll just be strolling around, sneaking up on people, crashing parties, picking on Brian Klock, blowing kisses at Dave Nichols, harrassing Chris Maita, sweet talking our favorite editor Darwin H, and whatever other evil Goth and Sara can think of.
Ok, I'm going to bed. Gotta be at the paint shop 8am to finish that "car."

Monday, December 12, 2005

No sex for me

Crazy Horse here---No sex. Not this week. Not until this book is finished and sent off. Sent out about 360 photos today. The book has to be complete by the end of the week or my writing career will be fucked.
Got to paint a car and flame it this week or my writing career is fucked.
Actually I don't feel quite that tragic even tho what I wrote above it completely true. I don't feel tragic at all, but give me a few days. Or ask me on Friday. Haven't heard from the Poster Boy or as Ginny calls him FPB. Frying Pan Boy. My friends have a variety of names for him.
I just want to get this Miata finished. Finish off the book. Have a nice Christmas and spend the day cooking, watching Christmas movies, hugging the hubby. If it's warm, like above 45, I'll take the chopper out.
Oh my god! The chopper! Oh how I need to take a ride on that baby. Just feel myself stretched out on that long bike. Just pour on that throttle and tear up some curves. I need that so bad.
It's 11 pm. I'm knocking off early. No more working tonight. I'm turning off the computers and watching Sex in the City.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Scumbag Posers Who Pass For Men


Crazy Horse here - Guys like this are an insult to all the real men out there.
So MaryAnn's oldest daughter, Lindsey calls me. She had some upsetting news. Now last year at this time, she was dating this jive turkey named Blake. Blake was an extremely good looking guy, except for the fact that he waxed his eyebrows. It looked totally ridiculous. Last year he came up to her college here in Charlotte and was hanging out with her family like he was a part of it. We all made him feel welcome. There was a pool on the roof of the hotel and we were all up there when he pulled off his shirt and jumped in, well, it was breathtaking. But if we'd known was he was really all about, we'd a been throwing him off that roof, great bod or not. They broke up this spring after she got fed up with his crap, like not taking her calls and then making her feel bad about it. "well, gee Linds, I've been studying so hard." " I didn't think you'd be calling, I'm not that good looking." "No other girls want me." Oh my god, so sad. Kinda reminds me of someone else, another teller of sad stories.
Linds lived with me this summer when she took a makeup course and we helped each other survive the summer.
Today she gets this call from a girl who says she was in a commited relationship with Flake, I mean, Blake for 2 years. In fact he went on their family vacation on winter break while he was dating Linds. So Linds is real pissed off. She's got too much of her mom in her and her pride needs retribution. She wants to go to Blake's house during winter break, slap him in the face, then spit at him. He works for her dad and she is demanding her dad fire him or else. Meanwhile her parents are in the middle of a nasty divoirce. Atleast I got her bail money, just in case.
Man, I knew he maybe had a booty call other than Linds, but a 2 year steady girl and who knows where else that shit was. Yuk!!!
The man or ah person featured in the picture? No, it's not Blake. But he sure is a "poster" boy.
What does this have to do with motorcycling. Not a damn thing. But it don't matter. You can get involved with shithead posers no matter where ya go or what ya do.
Another crazy winter. What next?

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Holiday greeting from Liberte's ferrets


I have 3 ferrets, they are the best, when the day sucks these guys cheer me up always! Ferret bueller, Cameron Firebolt and Donovan Hawk. ~Liberte

it's not an easy gig....

I still can't beleive it's going to be 7 years since I opened my bike shop with RT. The work is getting tougher and tougher, and I have like zero time for my photogrpahy. Crazy Horse nailed it on the head about working on the weekends, man can I relate to that. I used to LOVE friday's, they had that certain feel to them, like the end of the work week. Now I know it's the start of the mad dash to accomplish so much. Oh well, what else am I going to do it's 20 degrees out and my mind only thinks about work anymore anyway... I will say I'm so lucky to be able to do what i actually have a passion for. Now, time to design this ride in my head, I gotta get back to work....~Liberte

Diamonds and Harleys






Like I really needed another piece of jewelry. But I don't need 30 leather jackets either. I don't actually have 30, I think Angie will always have me beat on sheer numbers for leather clothing. But I bet I'm coming close to her when it coems to leather vests. I have about 10 now. Oh yeah right, like she only has 10. She did sell quite a bit of her stuff on ebay but I bet she she still has a shitload of leather clothing. You know us biker babes, we gots to have the leather. Ah but the trick with leather is you have to stay the same size or else you're SOL.
Anyhow I have always loved the 4 stone diamond ring my best friend MaryAnn had. When I heard she was gonna pawn her jewelry I said "Send that ring!" So yesterday I sent her a check. She's sending the ring. Hopefully I'll get it today and after so many years, it will be mine. It's not like I'm drowning in cash or anything close to it. But it will be like having a piece of her with me always.
So there I'll be sitting on my chopper. Looking at my hand on the throttle control wearing two diamond rings, liking what I see. The statement my hands make. That a women can be hard and elegant at the same time, just cos a woman rides a bike doesn't mean she doesn't have classic style. My existing ring has a great story to it, one that is a real biker story of almost kicked asses. But that's for another post. This one is about my hands. Hands that have split wood, climbed mts, frozen while washing airplanes, done tons of bodywork, and sanded miles of motorcycle sheetmetal. These old hands have worked pretty hard for the past 45 years. In fact, a guy once broke up with me citing my hands as being a big turnoff. "Your fingernails are disgusting!"
Then I met this crazy blonde woman who rode a hit pink sportster. Her hands looked sexy as hell with her nails just long enough and perfectly polished with simple classic rings, not chunky stones on each finger.
So now 22 years after Derek made that cruel observation, my hands have perfectly polished nails that are a sexy length and I wear simple but elegant diamond rings. Too bad the hands themselves are so beat up. But those lines tell a story, a story of a life lived full and hard. Funny at age 45 I'm finally starting to like myself as I find my own style.
You all can see my current ring in the right photo on my fat finger. Men are nuts over what they percieve as their fat necks, women - it's fat fingers.
Oh the "Got Dumped" photo? That's Angie. Back when she went out with the loser George. She's now married to a non loser.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Bad reasons for marriage

My best friend is in the middle of a horrible divoirce. They got together in 1980 for the worst of reasons. She wanted love and to live the good life. He wanted to possess her. Now 25 years later, they have 3 daughters, 2 houses, a multitude of toys. Well all the toys are his. His boat, his corvette, his camper, his trailers, his trucks.
She became another possession. It's so sad. So much life wasted.
Who is to say what is right about anyone's life? It is so short anyway and then what? Maybe that's why selfish people get so much. They don't care.

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Saturday-Shmaterday

I'm supposed to go to a party tonight in Raleigh. For those who live in places like CT or RI (and I'm a Ct Yankee and proud of it), it is a total hassle to get from Charlotte, NC to Raleigh. They may as well be in different states. Hell you can get to Atlanta in the same time.
In Nov I was home for 10 days. The rest of the time was spent on the road. But the main reason I won't go is the book. I am such an ass. I dreamed forever of having book contracts and now that I have them, I'm bitching about how late I am on my deadline. Ok back to the book. 2 more chapters to finish and then to get the rest of the pictures taken.
I am my own worst enemy.

Friday, December 02, 2005

Friday is the enemy

of self employed people everywhere. I remember back when I used to do the punch clock deal, I loved Fridays! It meant 2 days off! A weekend to do whatever I wanted. Now Friday means I'm screwed again. I never get as much done as I plan during the week, so I get to spend the weekend working.
Years ago when I was young and 30 years old, I would get so despondant Friday afternoons, especially in the winter, when I sun would set early. I would think what hell my life has become. I couldn't see the beauty of the winter afternoon, the sharp contrasts of the brillant setting sun against the stark bare trees.
So now I go into my studio, to work, to live, to be thankful for each moment I am here. I wish I could go back and slap the young Crazy Horse in the head. What a blind fool she was to not see the treasures and miricles before her. I guess you have to have the right kind of eyes.
As for the idiot ex boyfriend, he's all sad. What an ass. Got a hug from the hubby this morning. A real one. I do so love that man. I got to keep working on him. He's no drama king, thank god!!!!!!!

Thursday, December 01, 2005

I must be brave

and clean out the fridge. It has not been touched for the past 2 weeks. I actually went and bought groceries today. And I've even going to cook some food. I'm not bad, but I have been pretty lazy. I did do thanksgiving dinner at my brother's house but what else was there to do. He was fighting with the wife. She was gonna get a restraining order, he was screaming he had a 5 gallon can of gas and would happily burn the house down. So while they fought and slammed doors I cooked the turkey, made 2 kinds of stuffing, roasted carrots, and made the gravy. They made up while I was outside riding bro's new $7000 quad which I blew up. Figures, hero one minute, asshole the next. This is the way my life works, don't know why I should expect anything more.
But tonight I'll make pasta with sausage and vodka sauce. Oh god that was a crazy trip last week. Now if I can only fnish my book and get out of the doghouse with my publisher.
Ok, I'm putting in a movie and cleaning and cooking. I;ve got 2 and 1/2 months before the big trade show in Cinci so I'm gonna eat whatever I want. I'll lose the weight later. Fuck it.

Fuck, it's Thursday


How does the week just slip away like this? It's hard this week as I did not get back from CT until Tuesday, spent Wednesday morning with the husband. He is such a hottie. Everyone thinks so. I wish he'd see it. He looks into the mirror and sees an old man. hell, Robert Reford, Scott Glenn, these guys are over the age 60 and they still are attrative. Hubby is right up there with them, and imagine if he actually took care of himself, worked out alittle even. MaryAnn said she'd hop on the back of his bike anytime. I love him so much. He is still a cutie.
Ok got to get back to working on the book. I guess my "vacation" worked. I'm happy, maybe for the first time in over a year. My life ain't perfect, but I'm happy.