I got back from Laughlin a couple of days ago. Seems like just yesterday I got back from Phoenix. The desert gets to be a blur after awhile on the road. In particular when its hot.

I put my luggage rack, pillion and bought a sissy bar so I could put luggage on it. BARF! I HATE THE LOOK AND MISS MY FENDER!! But it seems to hold a purpose. I locked on my luggage to the rack and bar and off I went.

The ride started out, again, at a great hour, 11:00 a.m. I met Debbie and Rod in Anaheim off the 91 freeway and we started our ride out. It was a good ride. Not too hot and not too cold. Just a little cold on the pass, but that's not unusual for this time of year. The pass is the spot that when you ride over you expect to see the freeway full of bikes and trailers hit with a thermal cold spot. This time we didn't. The ride was a clear one. Yes, there were plenty of trailers and bikes, but not like the past years. Gas stations always seem crowded on any bike rally weekend to Laughlin, but, this weekend, it wasn't like we expected. As a matter of fact, we made great timing and rolled into Laughlin at about 4:00 p.m. or so with stops included.


When we arrived in Laughlin I noticed the lack of bikes....big time! The norm is a constant sound of rumbling engines.... all day and all night til about 4:00 a.m. This time... not so. After talking to many people and the casino employees I found out that only half the rooms were sold. The price went up this year and so did the cost of everything else. Sad but Dal Con, the producer of Laughlin tried to make more money off us riders this year, and failed. Sad. I hope the vendors show up next year. I understand that the police force was out harrassing everyone also. 4 officers to every 20 feet or so. We saw a bit of that, but I usually don't pay too much attention to that stuff. I'm with the girlz and listening to the music. Digging what riding is all about. I don't get the other "stuff" that brings the rest of us riders down. In any case, I ignore everything but fun.

We got in on Thursday. That's the norm for us. We leave to Laughlin on 'Thursday and stay an extra day and ride out on Monday. No use waiting in 2 hour gas station lines burning my legs on my pipes when I could be having a martini THINKING about going home:) The winds were a piping on Sunday along with a local fire in the Mojave close to the strip. The Locusts were out and about on the ride also, and a friend who left Saturday night called us and warned us that riders and drivers were pulling over on the 15 as they were covered in locust's guts (bright yellow sticky dead buggy junkzz)! Hurts too when those little mothers smack ya!

So.... we hit the vendors. We had a few new vendors this year and yet not all filled. With that, I have to say that there was loads of vendors to make this year recipients happy. But for the vendors sake, we could have had a lot more interested people taking part in the vendor village which is HUGE in Laughlin. I heard they lost millions this year. I sorta loved the fact that I was able to walk around without someone else's sweat on my shoulder. I still had a great time and still shopped like a crazy woman. So much so, that I had Karlene take a couple of bags home for me. Thank you Karleneeeee!


Had a couple of new vendors: Vinnie and Cody FORMERLY of Orange County Choppers and the OCC was there too. In the same hotel space but split so as not to be bothered by each other. I got a real kick out of seeing Vinnie and Cody. Vinnie's dad ain't too bad either. What a "dream boat" as they used to say...Looked like his brother if you ask me! We talked about how we had some great music in our time---he agreed with zeal and I luved that! I got a tee-shirt and they both signed the back of it. Yes...I will wear it.


Debbie and I did some gambling in between walking and eating. She seemed to win as I was losing everything I put into the "one-armed bandits with no arms". "That was fun and a true insight as to why I don't seriously gamble. She had gas money on the way back, I used the card.

We met up with Karlene, Tamalyn and Kim and seemed to dance the weekend nights away with whatever drink was on tap. We went to the builders party by the pool and mingled with Chica and others until we found ourselves bored and went inside to the music venues. I'm not a wrencher, and there is so much to talk about V-Twins, but then there is the fun party too. When are they gonna learn to build a bike for short people!? Better drinks and music inside. Dancing and fun to be had and since there is no closing time, well..... we had some dancin' fun. So did some of the builders. The pool thang just wasn't a happenin' for all... whooo whoooooeeeeeeee..............

Karlene and Tamalyn had an entourage.... who brought the bar.... a couple of coolers full of booze, mixers, and everything from Cheetos to brownies. Where's the beef, I thought! I laughed at us when Karlene and I went down for breakfast after night of party enjoyment and she ordered a feta cheese shrimp salad for breakfast and I ordered the usual pancake, egg white, and a side of bacon extra crispy--not wiggly....like that would make a difference :) Yep... we ate like pigs and partied up like hog biker chiks... all in a dayzzzz biker chik morning after life.


Rod went to his house in Havasu along with Joanze and her guy. Rod is in love this year and June is his gal. She's a doll and we all saw each other on Saturday. They rode on out from the house. He partied with us on the first night in, Thursday. I had a cold coming, in... you know, the kind you feel but you keep tucked back. He bought me Jack all Thursday night and burned the cold out of my system... until Monday. Hit me good on the way back. Later for that story though. Rod is a good guy. We went walking around the vendors and then danced all friggen night at Tarzan's in the Golden Nugget. Crashed out, and woke up swollen from all the bacon salt. We ate breakfast at like 4:00 a.m. again and then woke up and ate bacon again.

Heard some great music too. At these events the bands are out full force. This year I concentrated on the "free" bands. The bands that play in between vendors. Saturday, I listened to a great band! Judge Jackson. What a great band. Can play anything. The guitar player surprised me with a raspy bluesy voice disguised against his hard rock look. The lead singer blew everyone away with his awesome rock style with the crowd. The band rolled with the crowd and we loved them. I would pay dead presidents to hear these guys and they are playing in Long Beach in So Cal. and I do look forward to seeing them again.

I got to mingle with some old friends too...like my ex-ex husband. Not too much with him but his wife. I LOVE LOVE LOVE HER--Rhonna and I finally spent some time just talking. She is always busy and working these events... she is one of the Soldiers for Jesus and she usually hangs in the booth until someone, like me, comes along to harang her away for shopping and catch-up chatting. The ex is an okay guy too. After all, his bike was the first chopper I really rode back in the late '70's and 80's.... a '57 panhead chopper. He sat on the back so he could put the feet down to touch the ground while I rode it.... well needless to say... that didn't "pan" out... I needed to ride solo. Even back then.

In the shopping scheme of things, I took my windshield off and had Love Love Me Do etched on it. I love it and it adds to the bike. They wanted to sell me colored lights and all the bling bling but the etching was enough. Geezzzzzz................

I found a new guy in my life too: His name is Kenzy. Yep, he's a chimp. I LOVED him! He is truely a luv. I couldn't believe how "human" he is. His feet, face, hands and ears all were so human-skin-like. All I know he is, he got me when he slung his arms around me to hug me and kissed my cheeks! That was it. Now I want one.

Monday, soon came along and the ride back was a long one for me. I woke up with a lously cold and sucked it up for the ride back. The bugs and locusts were hitting big time. Bruised my thumb as I was hit on my hands from them. I kept ducking underneath my windshield to avoid the nasty buggerzz. That only lasted a short while though. Debbie in a sweatshirt and me in a long sleeve shirt, we stripped down to our t-shirts on the way back. It was just to plain hot on the ride out to wear jackets. I began the trip back with a mesh jacket, which I love and is actually cool, but the weather preferred a long sleeve T instead.

All in all, the trip was successful and, as always, I love my girlzz. Debbie was a trooper with all my cold complaints and I was glad to get home and into bed after we said our goodbyes on the freeway.

I am sure I have forgotten a lot here but in time I will remember it all. In the meantime, a little video to look at. Not so keen, but it will give you an idea of the event.

Hollister is Next!
Happy Trails,
KT Did