You meet some of the best people on two wheels.  There are multiple variations of this, and the wording of it has been changed many times over the years but holds true. A phrase from an ad, sign on a shop wall, meme on social media, whatever it may be, it is honestly the truth.  Many people in the biker world are some of the most stand-up folks that you will ever meet.  I have not seen anywhere else in society the over-the-top generosity of bikers when someone is in need. The cover and calendar this month are a prime example of some of the best people I know in the motorcycle world, The Sleeping Angels Foundation, who host their biggest event of the year the first weekend in May, now going on 14 years.  May 3^rd is the date this year, and there are starting locations for the run with multiple routes in a handful of different towns.  You can check out the latest information on Facebook when you search for their page, Sleeping Angels Fun Run. 

How I got tied in with these folks was when the late Kirk Kempter came to the Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa booth at the Capital City swap meet.  Kirk was good friends with Joey Droste and worked with him on the railroad.  Kirk was wanting to do something for his buddy and his wife Shelby who lost their little girl Maggie hours after she was born.  Maggie had Edwards Syndrome, and Kirk wanted to help the Droste’s and other parents in times of need after the loss of a child.  He started to reach out to people he knew and worked with and asked about getting some ads in the magazine to help promote a fun run that he wanted to do.  He brought a hand drawn image with that he wanted to show me, and I ended up getting a scan of it and put it in my archives.  That is the image on the cover this month, in memory of Kirk who passed in 2012, and now to show what can be done when caring people band together for a great cause.

On the calendar page this month is Tyler, Kirks boy who has been a supporter and rider for all of the Fun Runs.  His late father is part of an amazing legacy and helped get a run going that evolved into an awesome organization that has raised and donated to many families in need after a loss.  Tyler is continuing with the caring and generous spirt of his dad simply by being a part of this every year.  I hope that we get a chance to shake his hand at this years Fun Run and chew the fat a bit.

As we are really gearing up for riding season now that April is upon us, if you have not yet, get those tires checked out, make sure the brakes are good to go, check over the fluids, and make sure the battery is fully charged, because it is about time to ride!  Spring rains will get the crap washed off of the roadways, but we also need to watch for potholes, debris, animals, and farm equipment.  Be safe on the roads as you start heading out for the riding season’s early events and rides.

I would like to offer a heartfelt thank you to our advertisers in the magazine. We could not do this without you and we greatly appreciate the support.  If you are out and about and cross paths with some of these businesses, stop in and check out their places and tell them Thunder Roads Magazine of Iowa sent ya.  Hell, for that matter, go ahead and just plan a trip to hit up a few of the places in the magazine, guessing you will have fun riding to those places and meet some great people, because like I said, the best people are two wheeled people!

Be safe,

Vernon Schwarte

Quote of the Month: "Life is short, buy the motorcycle, have a ride, live your dreams" Unknown