"Ladies Who Ride" Fundraiser at Cook's 7-20-08

In honor of the fundraiser, since Shari Lewis died of cancer, and this was a cancer fundraiser, Bub put something that I've had for quite a few months but I had never figured how to put it on my bike without a rack or sissy bar. He FOUND a way and so I have my new 'mascot'. When I find an old "Biker Barbie" with a leather jacket, I'm gonna rip it offa that doll and Lambie will have some threads!! CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE

The fundraiser was...interesting.

The flyer was a tiny bit off in that you had to go to Fullerton Harley to sign up and register to get the T-shirt and the goodie bag, and ride with the group. There was a special area back of Cook's for the group riders. (I talked the registration ladies into accepting a check from me at the site and getting those items-see below)

I REALLY kinda didn't want to go to Fullerton Harley (being that I ride a Yamaha) and thought Bub and I could go straight to Cook's.

On the way we saw a 'motor' (motorcycle cop) at a gas station, and I thought, oh boy, he's gonna nail riders on the way! Turns out he was waiting for the Fullerton Harley group and led them the rest of the way to Cook's. Now THAT was a classy move by the event organizers. Very cool.

We got there about 11:10 AM and there was already a TON of bikes there-the usual mix of sport bikes and cruisers, but also folks who had the same idea we did. The picture is taken from about 1/4 mile DOWN THE STREET, because there was NO WAY there was any more room in front of Cook's, and more were arriving and parked even further down the street than us. It kinda bugged me that on the Cook's side that a sign was posted "No parking this side" but people started parking there anyway.

We walked up, found the registration, got the lowdown on registration and I waited for the group to sail in so I could get my stuff after the registered folks did, and ended up doing just that. I have NEVER seen so many 'tats' nor so much leather in a long time! We hit the vendors' tents and were basically done by 12 Noon. The Avon lady is (believe it or not) 70 years old. That Avon stuff certainly worked for her!! The BBQ was supposed to start around 1 PM, contests at around 2, and we decided not to wait, so we left and gave our meal ticket to a photojournalist who brought her Siberian exchange student with her, so that worked out nicely. Below, the CUTEST dog on his very own bike!!! AND he was riding it!

Lunch at Tommy Pastrami in La Habra-really good food!

All in all, a nice ride for a great cause.

Part 2 of the Timeline Reenactment at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro on Sunday, July 13, 2008

This'll be a 'hodgepodge' of pictures and themes-I want to try to show the detail of the living conditions and costumes for the time periods. I thought the cannon was really cool to the left. Above left are the ladies who participated in the Timeline Fashion Show. Below is my buddy Dave who was reenacting not only for the Union in the Civil War, but also for the Spanish American War. He's showing off his, um, 'token' from frontier town. We won't tell WHO he got it from, just that it was from one of the Wayward Saloon Sisters. And Dave? I'll sell you this pic and take it off the blog for a fee.

Check out the realism in the Civil War camp, and especially the ordnance. The gatling gun, 'seated' gun, all the artillery I don't know the names for but are pretty cool anyway. Bub's checking out a Union encampment's enlisted tents, I believe.
Below is the exchange of prisoners at the Civil War sample presentation. I knew that in war there was usually a prisoner or officer exchange, but what I didn't know is that the two sides would do 'trades'. Since the South had tobacco from all those tobacco fields, and the North had medicine etc, representatives from the two sides would do a white flag, meet in the middle and conduct some business. Below left is a typical officer's tent, I believe. To the left, reenactors for the Balloon Corps which I believe were started during the Civil War. Below right is Gunny R. Lee Ermey from the History Channel Show, "Mail Call". When I actually watched TV, that was one of my faves. Can anyone tell me again what "SNAFU" stands for? (I at least know what the last 2 letters stand for, of course) **note-somebody told me that the first part is "Situation Normal-All" and they said OF COURSE I'd know the last two letters!)

To the left, a gentleman who should be singing, "I am the very model of a modern major general" from The Pirates of Penzance. Below him, the gentleman on the left is wearing the ACTUAL outfit that John Wayne wore in "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon". I guess this gentleman's from the Revolutionary War, even though he was right next to the pirates. Speaking of which...
My favorite reenactors, the pirates. I do believe (or it wouldn't surprise me) that the lady IS drinking real grog. I heard about these folks at the reenactments..they are WILD. Maybe that's why they're one of my faves. I'd fit right in, wielding a sword or a pistol in one hand, a tankard of grog in the other, swearing a blue streak, taking no quarter and having my way afterwards with the rest of the bilge-rats. Any man that walked away from me and showed me his back would get shot in it. Arrrrr. Just call me "Ann Bonney". (oh, sheesh, just Google her, for gosh sakes!)

Below, samples of the Roman-Greco era and the Roman camp-can you believe that chain mail? And they only used gourds and pottery, realistic meals on realistic utensils vs. paper plates. NONE of the reenactors would be caught DEAD using things from the 21st century. Well, ok, MAYBE a few 'personal' items. I'll leave that to your imagination.

It's neat that they used animal skins (well, ok, PETA notwithstanding, faux-skins) for their seats and garb. In the background above left, all the spears neatly in an 'A' shape.

Even a catapult. Whoa.

The gentleman to the right looks REALLY comfortable reenacting, yes? (NOT)

The Scottish clan-I think they were doing the 'Braveheart" thing.

Reenactors would actually make clothing by taking wool, 'combing' it, make it into thread then use the loom to make cloth for their costumes.

Medieval arms and costumes. (Like you can't see THAT for yourself!)

The Wild West show below with Judge Dave Bean (Roy's brother) calling out the outlaws. He shot 'em. Of course. You don't need any paperwork then. The judge would charge them with murder, give 'em a sentence of death by hanging, they'd throw down on the judge, he'd shoot 'em, and say, "Sentence suspended" over their dead carcasses. They DEFINITELY had the right idea back then. Or now, in Texas. (If I offended anyone in Texas, well, TOO BAD)

The Wild West Frontiertown & the back of the chuckwagon.




One of my Saloon sisters. I think she also does part-time stuff at RenFaire, don't you think? And part of me wonders howinthehell does she BREATHE in that too-tight corset? I never could. (oopsie-TMI)

And below, if you can't get 'em in the saloon, at least try to clean 'em up. Or both. The saloon/gambling hall would clean up anyway.

Anachronisms abound, but most of the reenactors all know each other and do this quite frequently during the year.

In the Revolutionary encampment. And below, even the reenactors pets get involved! This pup is in a vendor tent for the Civil War.