With a bit more followers these past few months; I figured it would be a great opportunity to tell you a little bit of history as to who we are & why we do what we do as well as how the hell we got here! Riding motorcycles isn't just a hobby for TJ & I... which we have learned the stories of so many other riders & there is a common thread; IT IS THERAPY! We have been through health struggles, financial setbacks, family ordeals & life in general. Haven't we all? Just a couple of motorcyclists from Arkansas trying to enjoy this thing we call a "ride" Flash back to 2013 with me Something tragic happened for us to be able to take this opportunity, you see in November 2013 we were faced with the dreadful news that I had a tumor in the 4th ventricle of my brain and needed emergency brain surgery. We had only a weekend to spend time with our loved ones, swallow the 50/50 chance of life or death, plan accordingly, prepare for 5-7 months of unemployment, fight insurance companies, explain the situation to our children, and somehow keep our own minds positive and not crumble from the stress and fear. These trials taught us to live on so much less than the average U.S. household, travel light, and build a tiny house to reside in! We consider this scare a blessing in disguise and are so thankful that it happened. This is also where motorcycles have always played a part our life—two wheels help TJ cope with reality and calm the psychobabble that goes on in his head. TJ alwayed had some sort of motorcycle. Well, let’s be truthful, TJ always had some sort of rat bike that was hard tailed rigid, pieced together by old hand-me-down parts and fabricated from what he had laying around. Still today, we have our old rat bike. She has grown to be a machine loved by so many, and is now lovingly called “Maxwell House Chopper”. In 2018, we were able to pick up a used 2015 Road Glide which was like riding a recliner compared to the hard tails that we had been buzzing around town on. It was this “new” bike that we are able to tour the country and take on new adventures. However, During Daytona Bike Week 2019 in Daytona Florida, our bike was stolen from Main Street along with 47 other motorcycles during the rally. But with the love & support of our friends/family both on social media & in person we were able to get back on two wheels after only 5 weeks. Those 5 weeks were very worrisome & difficult. We had to deal with insurance, the police department as well as Harley-Davidson finance services. Lots of lessons were learned during this experience such as types of insurance. Long story short... we are back on two wheels!! We both rely on RIDING for mental health, friendship, stress reliever & of course brotherhood/sisterhood. It was during this point in our lives that we had realized the adversities that we had both overcome & it wouldn't have been possible if it was for fellow bikers & motorcycle enthusiasts. At the moment, we wanted to GIVEBACK & Pay It Forward!! We started doing a few Pay It Forward events & eventually became an officially 501(c)(3) approved nonprofit. Biker's Pay It Forward: Our values and missions are not only to promote family values, promote rider safety but to enhance our fellow bikers involvement in their local communities. Our "Pay It Forward" events were created for just that! Our motorcycle journeys have allowed us the ability to cultivate & expand our own motorcycle community & return the helping hand that was given to us in our time of need! Fast forward to now: Not only are we focusing on Pay It Forward to our motorcycle community and culture but also paying respect to all those riders that can't necessary ride alone or are passengers out of their own decision! Through all of the health issues that I have had there was a decision to be made... I was NOT going to give up riding motorcycles & enjoying the benefits of riding but I was & still am struggling with equilibrium issues including vertigo & dizziness. Therefore, I have decided to focus on that "back seat driver" position that I like to call myself. That is how Support2UP was born! This is a platform that encourages and supports the rider & the passenger. MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) states that the passenger is an active rider on the motorcycle…. This is what I want passengers & 2up riders to feel! I want them to feel that they are an active rider & NOT a backrest. With our (The Ornery One) online community growing; I have had several individuals & couples reach out to me personally regarding riding 2up. You all know that TJ & I ride 2up everywhere & I no longer ride solo due to Vertigo & Neurological disorders with my equilibrium from a Brain Tumor. My goal is to give a platform that focuses on the passenger aspect of motorcycle riding. Several “motorcycle riding courses” do not offer a passenger course or resources that provide preparation, tips, skills & experience for riders that choose to ride with a passenger. I would love to see that change in the future but until then we need to provide the 2UP community with some resources! -S

I NEEDED back on the bike! (A Support2UP story) We want to hear from you! The truth is you are unique and you have something to say! There are several reasons why riders decide to ride 2UP. This is one of their stories. Oct 13, 2019 was the day. I was a 50 year old female To start I have always and absolutely loved being on the back of a bike. It was our "go-to" transportation when it wasn’t extremely cold. We had just got back a couple months prior from an 11 day, 7 state, and just over 3,100 mile ride. It was my 50th birthday gift! I had been on the back of a bike for some time at this point and felt the need to go out and try on my own, so I signed up and paid for a weekend class to learn to ride and get my endorsement. The Sunday before my class we decided together that maybe I should practice on a dirt bike (2012 Kawasaki KX450) to get a good feel for things. I got dressed in long sleeves, pants, full face helmet and etc. I was nervous. The bike was big. I am 5’9, my toes just touching. I live on a small acreage so it was a perfect place. I tried a few times with bad attempts and outcomes but I was determined and knew I would figure it out. I had accomplished a few unintentional wheel stands and landed on my butt a few times. At this point he got on the back with me and was guiding me along. I panicked. I hit the throttle wide open, standing the front wheel straight in the air. He flew off the back and I followed. This is where things went bad….. As I am coming off the bike, my left boot heel gets caught in the back rear tire. I am immediately “wish boned”. My left leg below the knee has been twisted tearing every ligament tied to it and leaving it in a non-front facing position. My right leg is snapped off at the top of the femur causing a tree break which looks like branches on a tree. I acquired several small fractures down the femur bone as well. The other snap was the ball of my hip joint, cracking it and breaking a piece off. I was not capable of getting to the kill switch. The bike decided to “show off” and stay up on both wheels dragging me through the pasture until we hit a fence and the bike could be stopped. He got to me….his face told a lot. Here is where we made some bad decisions…. I needed my foot out of the bike. Now! He tried and it wouldn’t budge. I extended my arms and I said please pull me out. He did and my foot eventually slid out of my boot. I needed my helmet off. Now! I was getting sick. We took it off. Neither one was a good idea as we had no clue exactly what my condition was or what was hurt. I was calm. There was no pain but I sensed things were not right. My body and mind were in shock I am sure. I pleaded with him not to call my family. I just needed “a minute” to pull myself together and figure out how to get up. We tried different things with no results. I could not move and some pain was showing itself. We stopped trying and he laid beside me and we cried. He no longer honored my wish and he called the ambulance. The volunteers showed up first and then the medical team. I was immediately given an IV for pain and then they had the heavy task of carrying me out of the pasture uphill. They couldn’t drive to me because the ground was so soft at the time and there was the risk of getting stuck. We arrived at the hospital. My pain arrived with me! They could barely touch me without me screaming and they decided at that time to administer the drug Ketamine so they could do their assessment of my injuries. This drug took me on a faraway trip. When my senses came back I was furious. I was mad and loud about the fact that I was injured. I wanted everything to go back to the way it was. I had a new position at my work that started the next day. I was scared of losing my job. I had so many emotions starting to come over me. I knew my family was going to be upset with my decision to practice or even ride. I was going to get the “look what happened” because of it. And so I cried…. The top trauma surgeon from the area was contacted and I was scheduled for surgery the next morning. I was told that if I was on pavement I would have possibly lost my legs. Since my legs were basically detached, skin and muscle only hold on for so long on pavement. The way my right leg and hip were broken, they were only able to try their best to put things back in line and hope for good results. I had a rod and lag bolts to hold the leg in place. The goal was for new bone growth to take over and everything marry back together. So we waited. The following week I had the second surgery on the left knee. They could only repair the MCL at the time. The knee surgery seems to be a success! I eventually received blood transfusions as I had a lot of internal bleeding. I was alone when they came to my room to hook it all up. I was scared of this procedure. It was a strange feeling mentally I suppose. The trauma team informed me I would not have made it through the night from the amount of internal bleeding if I didn’t come in. Again I cried. I remained in the hospital for 21 days. It seemed to go fast for the most part. My pain levels kept me on pain meds and I think I was not present a lot of the time. I had plenty of visitors but I continued to cry. My care on this particular hospital floor lacked compassion and caring. I felt alone a lot of the time consumed in my own thoughts. The daily movement of my body to change the bed or get me on a bed pan was excruciating. I could not go to the bathroom by myself, someone had to always clean every area for me. Modesty went out the window. It was difficult to eat even though that was one of my highlights of the day. I was eventually moved to the rehab floor and this is when some amazing staff stepped up and helped me on my journey to break out of there. I worked hard because I wanted to go home. On the 18th day they were able to get me onto a shower chair and I got to feel the water run over my head and body. It was indescribable! And I cried. The day came and I “passed” rehab enough to go home. Having some upper body strength was definitely to my benefit. I was still completely non weight bearing on both legs. The wheelchair became my new ride. A ramp was made for me to get my wheelchair up from my garage to the house. I was wheeled in and I cried…hard. But there was my dog, my sweet baby girl who thought I had left her. I had a hospital bed set up in the living room. My wheelchair would not make it into the bathroom so I had to use a commode set up in my laundry room for quite some time. It was a hard one to swallow when someone had to carry your goods to the bathroom and dump it for you. Again I could not shower, only sponge bathing in my temporary bathroom. I slept in the living room in an adjustable bed for a few months while I was in the wheelchair. My dog never left my side. She brought me so much comfort. I had learned to master a slider board. It was a wooden board that I used to slide from the bed to the wheelchair or any other surface. I had in home therapy that came a few time a week. They finally let me stand at my kitchen counter on both legs with no movement. I bawled… I was very fortunate with my job. My place of work was amazing and understanding. They got me completely set up to work from my bed. I worked from home several weeks and then eventually went into work. My first day back I was greeted with my entire team in welcome back t-shirts! They even got me a desk that moved up and down so the wheelchair would fit. Eventually I transferred to a fancy walker as I was able to start putting a little weight on the legs. I did really well and finally made it to a cane! Then things went backwards……9 months in recovery my pain came back and it came back strong and ugly. I needed more pain meds, I was being refused. They were trying to be careful with giving them to me not understanding my new pain levels. I was finally taken for scans and they discovered that my hip surgery to save things was completely failing. No new bone was growing and the hardware was being rejected and backing out. One of the bolts had backed out completely and had broken off in my muscle tissue. My leg was basically dangling and not attached to anything. My doctor immediately apologized of the lack of understanding of my constant requests for pain meds. I had consultations and was presented with 2 options. I could either keep what I had going on and try bone grafting to keep as much of the original of me as I could and hope for the best or a total hip replacement. I chose the total hip replacement. So after almost one year of the accident I got my new hip! More scars added to try to complete some more rivers on the map of my legs. Now I was back to recovery again. This time things were better and things were faster. Again I was determined and kicked butt and of course shed some tears along this part of my journey as well. I am still in need of an ACL on my left knee but I was told I can live without it until I think I can’t. I am not ready for more surgery or recovery or tears on that right now. I had so many emotions with my time at home. I was so furious at my situation. Pissed that my life was “ruined”. Pissed at the bad decision to practice to ride. I wanted my old life back. I thought my life as I knew it was over. I was so mean to everyone during this time and then hated myself for being mean to the people that were there for me. I felt like everyone was going about their same daily things and leaving me behind. I didn’t want anyone I associated with to ride a bike. If I couldn’t you shouldn’t either attitude. I hated myself for feeling selfish because plenty of people have it so much worse. I cried and cussed for months. My feelings were all over the place. My people never left my side. I needed to grieve whatever I was grieving. However silly or big anyone thought it was. I needed to feel what I was feeling and my family allowed it. I was asked by my doctors to consider counseling for such trauma to deal with my emotions. I was also asked as well to address the amount of pain meds I was currently on for so long through counseling. After my last surgery I eventually took myself off of any assistance when it came to the narcotics. Not saying it was easy at all. I think I was more scared of the fear of pain and wouldn’t be able to function without them. I do not necessarily have pain today but I am aware every day that things are a little different. My body might not do exactly the same motion smoothly but I can pretty much do anything again. I had plenty of days that I just felt sorry for myself and made excuses not to try to get better. I allowed myself to struggle if I needed a day. But the next day was always a better day. You would never know I had anything going on with my legs if you see my walk. I don’t have as much swing in my hips like I used to but I am working on it! On most days I forget anything had happened. A couple years out and I wanted back on. I needed back on. We sold the bike I wrecked on instantly so I didn’t have to look at it. But I looked at our bike, the one we rode so many miles on. I thought I would never ever get on it again. Eventually I started to practice figuring out how to get my leg on it. I then would just sit. I could feel my heartbeat. I could hear my heartbeat. And tears flowed. I finally asked to be taken for a ride. Whew. I was so nervous. I managed to get on with some assistance. And we were off and it was breathtaking. All the feelings of the open air came back. But I also felt like I was on extreme high alert. I was playing scenarios in my head if we wrecked…would I be so lucky the second time? My mind was a mess. I loved the ride but I was ready to go home. I started going again and again for rides. It became better. I do believe you have to have full confidence in the one controlling the handle bars. And I am fortunate to have that. I fully trust my driver but I know the dangers of two wheels. My mind overtime has definitely eased but I don’t think it would be normal if I didn’t think about what could happen. I do battle the thoughts of my family and how difficult it is for them to understand my need to get back on. That part has been one of the hardest as I know they just care and are scared for me. I continue to pray to give myself and them peace. I do now however look forward to every trip and have learned to get on and off the bike by myself! It may look like a crazy mount but I do it on my own! I will never regret getting on the bike to practice nor will I ever push blame. I hate the saying “it is what it is” but I cannot change anything about the accident. I can only share my story. Please have great patience with yourself. Allow emotions and any sort of grieving to happen, big or small. Give yourself grace. And if you are not ready, that is alright too. There are 4 wheels that are just as fun. I bought a Jeep for that very reason too just in case I could not get back on a bike. Sitting on the deck with the wind blowing and a beverage can be just as freeing. Find something to fill your soul, for me right now it is the bike. I keep the tab open on my computer for a new motorcycle rider class. Maybe someday I will be ready to try and tackle it again. But for now I am good with 2UP. I am very thankful I still have my legs. I have cussed and cried way too much and prayed for mental and physical healing. Lean on your people especially when your tank is empty. I have such admiration for people with courage and determination who are fighting their own fight. Every day this helps me choose to get up and not give up. I am phenomenally willed and I will always continue to be my own badass! Sherri Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born - Albert Einstein Do you have a story of why you ride 2UP? There are several reason why "2UP riders" are in the motorcycle world. We would love to hear stories & adventures from the passenger! Email me at stephanie@theorneryone.com to be featured on our website, blog & social media!

Road to Bikes Blues & BBQ Bikes Blues & BBQ has been a special motorcycle rally for us on a lot of different levels which is so fitting to title this blog: Road to Bikes Blues & BBQ. Of course the physical “road” that leads to BBB is a ride that you will never forget no matter what direction you are coming to the rally from. Remember learning little tricks in grade school to remember important facts? I learned this mnemonic phrase: Never Eat Soggy Wheat to memorize the compass directions: North East South & West. So, let’s take a look at the physical road to BBB! North: coming from Missouri you will most likely be riding through Roaring River State Park East: coming from East Arkansas will enter heaven also knows at Northwest Arkansas South: coming from South Arkansas you will no doubt be passing within the Ozark St. Francis National Forest. West: coming from Oklahoma you will be riding through the thickness of the Cherokee Nation!! No matter the direction you ride… you will be surrounded by the beauty of the Ozarks! What about the mental road to Bikes Blues & BBQ? We all have questions about a motorcycle rally itself when attending for the first year. What is the layout? What is the purpose of the rally? Where do I stay? What should I expect from the rally? Will there be LIVE music? These are valid questions for anyone who!! Bikes Blues & BBQ is one of the largest charity motorcycle rallies not only in the area but in the United States! With a huge passion for the motorcycle community & giving back/Pay It Forward; the rally being a charity rally is vital to our attendance year after year. Bikes Blues & BBQ 2022 we hosted a guided ride that benefitted children in Northwest Arkansas with learning to ride bicycles which we will be hosting again for 2023! Another aspect that we love is that it isn’t confined into one particular area or town. Bikes Blues & BBQ is spread out from Rogers, Arkansas to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Don’t get us started on the ride between these two places… it is one of our favorite rides & is literally the route for our annual guided ride! We can’t help it - it is phenomenal! Another feature about Bikes Blues & BBQ is the music scene this year! Hands down something we are very excited about. Downtown Rogers at the Railyard has free concerts, Pig Trail Harley-Davidson has music, downtown Eureka Springs has music & of course the official campground for the rally: The Farm, has music!! Custom Motorcycles, Food, Bike Shows, Bike games, Vendors, Music, Guided Rides, Charity opportunities & fun! This is the road to Bikes Blues & BBQ & we can’t wait to see you there! Looking for lodging? The Farm - Campground & Events in Eureka Springs during BBB! The Farm Campground is the OFFICIAL campground for the motorcycle rally! Book your campsite now at: https://reserve.campgroundbooking.com/the-farm-campground...The Farm - Campground & Events - Eureka Springs We have electrical and water sites still available as well as lots of shaded primitive camping. The Farm campground is located just 15 mins away from downtown Eureka Springs. Where you will find a quaint Victorian mountain town surrounded by lakes, rivers and all the family activities you can think of... and The Farm is close to it all! The Farm is a 160 acre campground that backs on to Mark Twain National Forest. We offer: - Beautiful 360 degree views of the Ozark mountains - Hiking/Biking trails - 18 hole disc golf course - Fishing pond - LIVE music Friday & Saturday night - Clean/Hot showers - Lots of space to run and play - Bike Games

Beyond expectations is a great way to wrap up the 2021 Riding Season. The amount of volume that has resonated from being partnered and working with some amazing motorcycle businesses is beyond what we expected. Here are the BEST of the BEST; Custom Dynamics Pig Trail Harley-Davidson Mustang Seats Legend Suspension RickRak Memphis Shades KST Kustoms SENA Khrome Werks The Fairing Xchange The amount of riding & “boots on the ground” is beyond what we expected. Our YouTube organic growth breaking 20K subscribers is beyond what we expected! Take our “Light Up & Lift Up” Pay It Forward that Custom Dynamics powered last year! Our efforts together has changed the lives of Chris & Shana Wilson as well as our viewers! One of the online analytics that really show the massive impact is from Twitter in which we honestly do not utilize to it’s fullest however you can see that in January 2021 when we had posted about our Pay It Forward that Custom Dynamics was involved with the number of Tweet Impressions were over double what our normal range is. 2021 achievements include: Road all 48 states within the continental US Produced 128 YouTube videos Reached over 20K subscribers on YouTube organically Started the first ever 2UP category in a motorcycle show Organized & hosted 3 motorcycle FREE ride events, 1 bike show for Ride The Ozarks, & currently working on our 8th Pay It Forward campaign Registered The Ornery One, Inc with GuideStar & maintained our IRS 501(c)(3) status Acquired over 17.1K followers on TikTok Became the Arkansas State Ambassadors for Motorcycle Tourism Helped set a World Record for longest Poker Run Attained over 10.5K followers on Instagram Laid the ground work for Mexico (Passports, Contacts, Tourism, etc) Rode 30K+ miles 2UP coast to coast 2022 projected events include: Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge (2UP of course) New 2022 Harley-Davidson Road Glide with all new products/upgrades which will result in new videos & posts Build the 2022 HD Road Glide on location at Pig Trail HD with a series of YouTube videos “The Big Boar” Build Ride & document the ONLY US highway that runs from Canada to Mexico roughly 2,400 miles from NY to MX (US HWY 62) Ride & document the loneliest highway in the US from MD to CA roughly 3,073. (US HWY 50) a few changes that you can expect moving forward more merch website makeover monthly email newsletter more behind the scenes raw footage for members updated members page with more details of ride season, map & events From the time that we started “The Ornery One” we have been a team... a team of 2 different individuals with different perspectives which allows us to offer double the effort vlogging & sharing our story. We are starting to branch out to the 2UP community which had not been promoted or presented. Our goal with “support 2UP” is to empower riders of all genders & empower the passenger. Stephanie has started working with the Buffalo Chip last year & will be involved in the Women’s Day at The Chip again this year promoting passengers & 2UP riding. You all know our social media presence but I want to do a small year to year comparison that shows each of our platforms continuously growing in impressions, interactions & subscribers as well as a few other analytics. organic growth across social media platforms over the past 3 years We can't thank each of every one of you enough for following our journey, sharing in our experiences & supporting us mile after mile. We are thankful & can't wait to get 2022 started! I hope we will get to meet you all at a rally or event this year!!! -TJ & Stephanie The Ornery One & The Ornery Squaw Follow us: The Ornery One: Facebook The Ornery One: Instagram The Ornery One: Twitter The Ornery One: YouTube Support 2UP: Facebook Support 2UP: Instagram

Industrial grey. Blacked-out. 2019 Road Glide Special. Premium features. Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-Twin engine. Stage II Screamin’ Eagle torque cam. 1,000 mile service. One long, cold 24-hour ride. We took our 2019 Road Glide Special for a test ride - a test ride that was 1,000 miles for our first ever Iron Butt Challenge. We could hear the clock ticking as we filled up the gas tank and gathered our witness signatures for the start of our next adventure; the Iron Butt Association’s “Saddle Sore 1,000” which is 1,000 documented miles within 24 hours. We decided to do this challenge not only two-up but on the brand new 2019 Road Glide Special with Stage II Upgrade. Tuesday, April 23rd, 2019, at 12:22pm, we sat in the saddle of a completely new motorcycle for the first time, and off we went. We left Denney’s Harley-Davidson in Springfield, Missouri with the odometer reading 41 miles and six gallons of fuel in the tank. The weather in Missouri and Oklahoma was clear, which made the beginning of the ride nothing but smiles and wind against our knees. We had a destination in mind and a route that would take us through Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Amarillo, Texas; Tucumcari, New Mexico and as far as Route 66 would go for our 1,000 mile challenge. Of course, with a brand new motorcycle we feel the 1,000 mile service is the most important and crucial maintenance for a new motorcycle, considering this is the break-in period. The break-in period on a new motorcycle engine is important or you could risk performance and/or cause damage, so we kept the RPM’s down, and for the first 500 miles we didn’t use full throttle or high engine speeds. The bike rode as smooth as any Cadillac that I had ever ridden in, which made cutting across Oklahoma into Texas effortless. As the sun set and the clock kept ticking, we found ourselves 536 miles into our challenge with about fourteen hours remaining. This was great! We had ridden over halfway and still had lots of time left on the clock; however, the temperatures started dropping to the high 30’s/low 40’s and then the rain started. Riding in cold temperatures is manageable. Riding in wet conditions is manageable as well. However, riding in cold temperatures while you are wet are not the best ideal riding miles. We both wanted to stop and get a hotel room but doing that would end our challenge as well as cost us more money than we had budgeted. Agreeing to toughen up and ride farther, we threw on our rain suits. The suits made a huge difference but with several layers, and leathers to stay warm, it is very difficult to move around. Arriving at Tucumcari, New Mexico around 10:30pm we both agreed that food and a quick nap were much needed along with dry clothes for the remainder of our ride. After we grabbed something to eat and lugged our bags into the hotel room, we had three hours to rest. 3:00am Wednesday morning came quick, and our time clock had nine hours remaining with 350 miles left to ride. We departed from the warm hotel bed with a nice outside temperature of 38 degrees. A few hours later the sun finally started to peek up behind us showing the road ahead in Clines Corner, New Mexico. We rolled through Grants, New Mexico along Route 66 about 9:30am with slightly warmer temperatures than earlier. Looking over the route weeks prior revealed our final destination to be around the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. It wasn’t much farther after Grants, New Mexico that our odometer reading on the motorcycle was 1,041 miles. Which would be the 1,000 miles we needed. However, the Iron Butt Association verifies mileage with other sources along with your odometer reading. The IBA’s website does not recommend relying on your own speedometer/odometer readings. Just to be on the safe side, we rode an additional 54 miles to a small town in Apache County– Chambers, Arizona. Pulling off of Route 66 into the Chambers Mobil gas station at 9:50am, we were finally finished with our challenge and knew that the pressure was off. Our motorcycle odometer read 1,095 miles which would be 1,054 total trip miles and our MapQuest/Google Map showed 1,014 miles. Either way, we completed the 1,000 miles in 21 hours 28 minutes. What an experience! Without a doubt, the best motorcycle for us would be this Road Glide Special. I can honestly say that Iron Butt Challenges are great and can save you lots of money but we really enjoy sight-seeing and poking along the backroads. Since our Iron Butt Challenge, our odometer reading is right at 5,000 miles. We are enjoying the new 2019 Road Glide Special with Stage II, and are slowly modifying different aspects to fit our needs. For example, we are running with Custom Dynamics lights all around the bike as well as a Mustang seat and a Memphis Shades 6.5” windshield. To see more of our adventures, head over to Facebook, Instagram, & YouTube to subscribe and be part of our story! You can read the original article in Quick Throttle Magazine or from the following link: https://quickthrottle.com/1000-mile-test-ride/

From the Daytona International Speedway to the Atlantic beach boardwalks, Daytona Bike Week brought the bike shows, custom builds, and the epic parties for the 78th Anniversary Bike Week Festival March 8-17, 2019. The ten-day event included live music, food vendors, custom bike builds, demo rides, bike shows, concerts, a bike parade, motorcycle vendors, and unforgettable good times. Daytona Bike Week has been identified as the Sturgis contender bringing in an estimated 500,000 riders. However, coming to Daytona Bike Week is not just the historic Main Street to Midtown ride. Do not get me wrong, it is a must see part of the event; but riding scenic A1A Highway along the Atlantic coast up to the oldest city in America, St. Augustine, is essential! Steph and I rode down to Daytona, Florida from Arkansas over two days stopping in Atlanta, Georgia for the night. Once we arrived in Daytona, we spent the day at the International Speedway which in itself is a one-of-a-kind experience. There is no way that you can visit all of the vendor booths and soak everything in with one visit… plus it is worth going back the next day. With over one hundred vendors and install tents for wheels, LED lights, grips, bars, accessories and more. The vendors at the Speedway parking lots were not the only action, the track was happening as well and you can catch Supercross, Amateur Supercross, Flat Track TT and the Daytona 200 all during the rally. If you are like us, we are always searching for the best deals and ways to save money! Sopotnick’s Cabbage Patch is always hopping and they feature $10 camping right across the road at the Cabbage Patch Campground. We also caught the “World Famous” Coleslaw Wrestling on Wednesday & Saturday. If you have not had the chance to watch the double-elimination tumbling competition with flying coleslaw and strong smell of vinegar, you need to make the trip to the Patch to catch the show! Make sure you watch for the dates as the Coleslaw Wrestling is a special event that does not happen daily and you want to make sure you have a good spot to watch the competition. The patch hosted the preliminaries on Wednesday and then the finale on Saturday. The winner, “Cookie,” took home the title and the CASH prizes of $2,600 for the week. What bike rally event is complete without a bike show or two? There were countless bike shows during Bike Week like Willie’s Tropical Tattoo Bike show, Daytona Beach Boardwalk bike show, Bikes N’ Bass, & KSO No-Class Bike show at the Hard Rock. Each of these bike shows brought the best of the best! Make sure you tune in to our YouTube and catch some of the highlights of these shows. One of our favorite bike shows had to be Willie’s Tropical Tattoo “Old School Chopper” Bike show where they featured twenty different classes for their ride-in style bike show. They had girls, beer, bands, and some amazing bikes with custom artwork. All of this was packed into a five-hour slot from 11am-4pm. One of the coolest choppers that we spotted was a custom build S&S 124 EVO with a 37 degree rake and a paint job that just so happens to match my head tattoo! The owner, Jesse Srpan, of Raw Iron Choppers, told us a little history of the bike “Trepidation” which ultimately took home the “Best Evo” award from the show. The party is not just in one place! Cabbage Patch, Iron Horse Saloon, International Speedway, Main Street, and we cannot forget about Destination Daytona at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Harley-Davidson: where there is always a good time to be had. Each morning of the ten-day rally Bruce Rossmeyer’s features FREE KEGS & EGGS where they provide a free breakfast and beer at 9am. We had planned on heading over to their event on Friday but our bike was stolen Thursday night from Main Street. Follow our social media for more details on that and how it all played out. Overall, Daytona Bike Week knows how to throw a party, and they delivered! https://quickthrottle.com/daytona-bike-week/?fbclid=IwAR1sHSEhSVHGDCYeRusqEQZdXKW4--6d46feqj8vxxvVSqHc7Ib5zpp3Ydo

We first rode to Deadwood and were welcomed by the locals that love the rally just as much as the annual Sturgis motorcycle riders. We noticed that Deadwood was very similar to our little town Eureka Springs back home in Arkansas. Downtown Deadwood has a ton of history of gambling and mining and the streets are brick paved with fascinating buildings. Both towns; Deadwood and Eureka Springs, were built in the late 1800's with narrow streets and quaint little homes built into the mountainside. We always find it comforting when traveling how certain places and even people reminds us of home. Remembering our roots and embracing the beauty all around us! Next, we made our journey through Spearfish Canyon where the roads are well maintained with smooth curves. The speed limit is 35 mph which seems slow but is perfect when viewing the canyon walls & river streams right along the road as you ride! Everything is very accessible & an easy relaxed ride. For never being to Sturgis’... we didn’t know what to expect. The streets are filled with music & laughter as well as eager riders ready to take on many of the rides around the Black Hills National Forest & Badlands National Forest.

Our first time to Cleveland Ohio; the reason why? The Fuel Cleveland Motorcycle show!! I am “The Ornery One” along with my wife, Stephanie. We traveled from Northwest Arkansas to Cleveland Ohio hoping to see some kickass bikes and meet some inspirational people. Not knowing what to expect we went in with eyes wide open. Honestly, I do not think I blinked from the moment we pulled up. We arrived around 3:00pm and the streets were full of bikes and people. Any type of bike you could think of or dream of was there. It was already getting a little rowdy and the characters I saw throughout streets made me feel like I was going to fit right in. We walked through the chain-link gates of the parking lot in front of the warehouse which is where I thought the show began. However, little did I know, these were people that rode in and parked out front. There was so many rad bikes in the parking lot and outside of the venue, that it took us over an hour to make our way to the entrance. Once we stepped into the warehouse, the atmosphere and the excitement filled the air. The warehouse walls alone were fascinating and lined with great artwork and inspirational photographs. I was SOLD! The Fuel Cleveland show was not what I had planned but bigger and more impressive than I had imagined. The freakin bikes, I was taken back with. Each individual bike held so much originality and uniqueness. You could tell that every piece was well thought out and designed just for that bike. I walked through the entire warehouse seven times; my feet and my back where starting whine. From there we moved onto the vendors, which were unique themselves and more than willing to take their time with you and share stories. As we made our way outside there were several food trucks which provided a variety of grub to select from. Just on the other side of the food trucks was what looked like another warehouse. I was shocked as we walked into the “Skidmark Garage” and being able to walk through this ongoing working community to see first-hand personal bikes being built. This community garage is where different skills can be learned and used to build the best bike, a place where everyone can feel comfortable with no regard of their skill level and where art comes to life! Towards the end of the garage, we found their sweet lounge and bar which was perfect to relax for a moment, listen to live music and enjoying a cold beer. As we sat there kicked back, taking in our surrounds… I could not help but think how every town needs a Skidmark Garage. The evening was not over and the night was young as everyone made their way over to the after party at Hoopples. We ate, we drank, we laughed, and we made lifelong friends. Hoopples is a small quaint bar with an awesome outdoor patio and an amazing view! The only down side of Hoopples: they do not have pickles for your hamburger. Overall, the entire experience of Fuel Cleveland definitely left a mark on our lives and was a remarkable event!

At the beginning of each year we plan our riding schedule that includes Rallies, Meet N’ Greets, Poker Runs, and our Pay It Forward events. We thought this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally would be the perfect place to help a fellow biker and complete our Pay It Forward event. Months before the event, Stephanie and I posted on our social media and our website that we were taking nominations for our Sturgis Pay It Forward. The stories started to flood our email inbox shortly after we announced our Pay It Forward in Sturgis. After reading several stories of families and individuals with heart ache and troubled situations; there was one story that really stood out to us. A nomination that was actually submitted on behalf of her friend and not herself. Little did she know, we wanted to know more about her story. This is the story of Tia Van Pelt: Tia Van Pelt had learned about our Pay It Forward event online and quickly knew she needed to write into our website. She wanted to nominate her friend! A friend that had helped her during a very difficult time just last year. You see, Tia lost her husband, Tom, on Mother’s Day 2018 in a tragic motorcycle accident. We were so thankful to hear the story of Tia’s friend. A friend that was so unselfish and made herself available to Tia and their children. Tia explained: “Marcy has been an amazing support and friend since I lost my husband in a motorcycle accident last year. She has been here for me every day and asks for nothing in return. She has an amazing kind heart and huge passion for helping others….. Tia” It warms our heart to know there are individuals in this world that step up and ask for nothing in return. Stephanie and I have seen this first hand and so many times within the motorcycle community. There was something about Tia that pulled our hearts and our desire to know more about her own situation. This is what Tia said: “Tom and I LOVE Sturgis! It was our vacation and yearly getaway. We were able to spend time together and see friends from all over the country as well as make new ones. We have been attending the Sturgis motorcycle rally together since 2003; he also attended a few before we meet. It was always his dream to live in the Black hills, near Sturgis was even better. We were married Aug 4th, 2007 in Mitchell then headed to Sturgis to celebrate with friends. Memories were made that year! Tom was an amazing father. He has 2 daughters from his first marriage, Aliyah is 22 and a new mom of Alma, and Hannah is 20 and attending college at Black Hills State University in Spearfish. I am extremely lucky that I am able to co-parent with their mom. They are great kids and their dad would be proud. We have two children together Tessa is 13 and Levi is 9. Tom instilled such great values in both of them and taught them so much in their short lives. Our kids attend school in Piedmont which is part of Meade County (Sturgis). We moved to the Sturgis area in December of 2014, found our dream home and loved our cabin in the woods and laid back life. We made amazing friends who are more like family. After I lost Tom I could not imagine being anywhere else this is our home and this is where we were happiest. This is also why I choose to lay him to rest in Sturgis. He has a great view of Sturgis and is always here for the party. As for me this is home this is where I’m happy and where my kids are happy. I couldn’t imagine raising them anywhere else. We have found such great support, help, love, and friends here. I love helping others and doing what I can for them. I struggle some days but I have so much to keep me going and so much to be thankful for, which I am.” Tia and Tom loved Sturgis! They loved the atmosphere and the motorcycle community. The thrill of meeting like minded riders and enthusiast! What better way to celebrate a Pay It Forward in Sturgis than to celebrate Tom’s love for Sturgis and his life!! We moved forward with our Pay It Forward by setting a date and locations during the rally. We planned on August 8th, 2019 at the Law Tiger’s Tent right outside of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame. Our event was to take place from 4pm-6pm. This allows time to gather and mingle before we handed over Tia our Pay It Forward collection. Months prior to the Sturgis rally, Stephanie and I sold our Ornery One shirts along with accepting tax-deductible donations for Tia and the children. We were so excited to share that Custom Dynamics, Denney’s Harley-Davidson in Springfield Missouri, RickRak, and Sena contributed towards Tia. We had Quick Throttle Magazine that donated space to run our Sturgis Flyer as well as Law Tiger that allowed us the space to hold our event. At the event, we were able to raise more funds and hand her over a little Pay It Forward. We had several individuals that follow our story and adventures online that contributed as well. We appreciate everyone that helped make this event so grand and memorable. The rest of Sturgis 2019 Attending such a large event like Sturgis can be overwhelming and costly for first timers. We are going to break down some of the most expensive items and give you a better look at how to plan for such a long stay of riding, activities, attractions and entertainment! We left out of Arkansas on Tuesday, July 30th in order to meet up with some other riders along Interstate 90, right out side of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We traveled West to attend the Pre-Sturgis Party August 1st in Mitchell, South Dakota. The pre-party is hosted by Klock Werks and is planned to be an annual event for Mitchell and the Corn Palace. If you can catch the pre-party, it is very worth going!! Music, stunts, food, vendors, and perfect atmosphere. We then rode on into Sturgis on August 2nd. This is where we would call home for the next week and a half. August kicked off with ten days of pure adrenaline for any motorcycle enthusiast and we were there for all of the action! It does not matter which highway or interstate you travel on in South Dakota, you can hear the rumble of motorcycles all around. The 79th annual Sturgis event is usually held for an entire week at the beginning of August. Lodging: The Sturgis Rally is so spread out that we took advantage of staying out of the main town of Sturgis. Mainly for the cost benefit but also for some shut eye. Some of the surrounding towns include; Spearfish, Deadwood, Piedmont, Rapid City, Belle Fourche, and more. The hotel lodging options are unlimited but be sure to plan ahead and reserve your room in advance. Some prices will increase the closer the date of the event is. If you would rather camp and have that authentic rally experience during your stay; you have even more options! Just to name a few Broken Spoke Saloon and Campground, Glencoe Camp Resort, Creekside Campground, Iron Horse Campground, Pappy Hoel Campground, Steel Pony and several more. Keep in mind that several of these campgrounds offer deals for you to get more bang for your money; the longer you stay the better the deal! Another tip that we have done in the past, get all your buddies together and just pile in a room. We were able to stay the entire ten days but we know several people that came for just a few days. If this is you, no need to worry! There are several lodging options for just a weekend package or a 3 day pass. This year, we stayed at the Mineral Palace in Deadwood. The hotel is a little dated but holds so much history and up to date accommodations. In our opinion, we would so much rather stay out of downtown Sturgis because of the crowds and noise. Deadwood has shopping and bars as well as some amazing food. Mineral Palace also offers secure parking that is extremely convenient. Rides: The traffic in and around Sturgis increases as early as two weeks before the official start date of the rally and will usually continue for as late as two weeks after the rally’s end date. This is because a lot of riders come before and after the actual event to ride the Black Hills. Some of our favorite rides that we try and explore every year are: Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, and Badlands. Attractions: Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood is the resting place for several wild west legends including Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. We take advantage of these attractions that are free or a very low attendance cost. The Mt. Moriah Cemetery is only $1 admission fee. We have not explored the Mining Museum of the Black Hills but it is on our to-do list. The museum is in Lead and is only $5 admission. Motorcycles as Art Exhibit is an awesome event that is completely free and open to the public! The exhibit is curated by Michael Lichter and has a different theme each year. Concerts: where do we even start? If you want to catch some live music… you will not have to go very far. Concerts will be going on throughout the Sturgis Rally and in almost every bar and campground. Eating: We try and limit the amount of food that we buy on the main street of the rally. There are several restaurants around town that offer great rally food at great prices! Are you from the South or love sweet tea? Jambonz Grill and Pub in downtown Sturgis will be the only place to find sweet tea! If you are looking for cheap cold beer, the VFW is your place! Also, we go to the grocery store to buy water and a few essentials such as breakfast bars or small snacks that will fit in our saddlebag. Do not forget to pack Sunscreen for sure! Rain Gear is also a must because the weather in Sturgis is very unpredictable. There is too much beauty not to snap a few pictures so make sure you have a camera or your phone to record! The jam packed outrageous party will continue! The 80th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will be August 7-16, 2020! "Paying It Forward" has been one of our signature events and has a very special place in our hearts. If you are not familiar with our Pay It Forward events or our back story, we encourage you to check out our website, YouTube channel and our social media to learn more. Check out our YouTube channel The Ornery One to see all of our travels, our Pay It Forwards & even when we had our bike stolen this year at Daytona Bike Week in Florida!

Several people have asked about our luggage bag & system that we run coast to coast on the Road Glide! This luggage bag is the answer that we have been looking for! We wanted something that could expand with height depending on how much gear we have but also hold it's shape if the bag was empty... we also wanted something that was easy to install or tie down. The RickRak Top Deck II with the Quick Attach system has been the perfect size & fit for us. It is extremely easy to use & saves so much time & effort trying to secure a luggage bag to your bike. The bottom of the RickRak bag as the quick connect system attached which makes it super easy to install on your luggage rack. We have ridden with this bag for almost 2 riding seasons now (2020) & have traveled through rain, dust, high wind, etc & the reversed coil zipper keeps dust & dirt out of the bag! The bag also comes with a rain cover which is perfect & doesn't let any water into the luggage. This video gives you a quick run down of the features & quality of the bag & attachments. To find RickRak follow the link below: https://www.rickrak.com Be sure to check out RickRak on Facebook & Instagram as well. Largest bag on the market for your tour-pak!! Hands down... our favorite luggage bag! Link below for the Luggage Bag:

"Ride Between The Pigs" will be happening again in Eureka Springs, AR during Spring Fling! This will be our 3rd annual "Ride Between The Pigs" guided ride between the Eureka Springs Harley-Davidson store & the Pig Trail Harley-Davidson store. We usually take a scenic route through the Ozarks for our "Ride Between The Pigs" ride & this year we will be featuring the "Rocker Ride" Let's take a little ride in our mind before the actual ride - follow along with the map! We will be leaving Eureka Springs Harley-Davidson at 10:00-10:15am in which the Eureka Springs Police Department will be stopping traffic there on E Van Buren/US-62 as we make a right turn heading towards Green Forest, AR. Once, in Green Forest, AR our route will be taking us North on AR-103 & continue onto AR-21 into Missouri. Please note: Missouri has discontinued their Motorcycle Helmet Law for anyone over the age of 26 &/or anyone who is operating a motorcycle under an instruction permit regardless of age. Once we are in Missouri we will be taking State Hwy 86 W traveling through Dogwood Canyon Nature Park (needs to be added to your Biker Bucket List) then hitting State Hwy 39 N as we head toward State Hwy 76 W followed by State Hwy 112 S which takes us through Roaring River State Park (another Biker Bucket List item). State Hwy 112 S will take you to Seligman, MO so we can take a left onto State Hwy 37 that brings us back into Arkansas. You will come to a crossroads as soon as you enter Arkansas: Gateway, Arkansas to be exact because it is the "Gateway" to & from Arkansas. :) We will be continuing straight on AR-62 until we reach Pig Trail Harley-Davidson to grab your SWAG Bags. This is a great opportunity to fill those gas tanks again if need be. Riders are welcome to hangout with us for a few minutes at Pig Trail HD to finish the "Rocker Ride" with us or take off in any direction that their hearts desire. When we leave Pig Trail Harley-Davidson we will be heading back to Eureka Springs but not the exact same route as we took... instead we will be riding towards Hobbs State Park on AR-12 (another Biker Bucket List guys!) After AR-12 E we will be taking AR-23 N into Eureka Springs. The Rocker Ride is one of Pig Trail Harley-Davidson's mapped rides that showcases a few highlights of the area including: Dogwood Canyon Nature Park - 10,000 acres of paradise!!! Roaring River State Park - one of Missouri's most popular state parks which is perfect for camping, fishing, canoeing or hiking... oh & 1 of 3 state parks that is stocked with rainbow trout! Mark Twain National Forest - 1.5 million acres of public land that maintains Missouri's natural forest... ready for you to explore it! Pea Ridge National Military Park - 4,300 acres battlefield honoring those who fought & died to help decide the fate of Missouri - most pivotal Civil War battle west of the Mississippi River! Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area - Arkansas's LARGEST state park with 12,054 acres! Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge - refuge for big cats & bears! Are you in Eureka Springs, AR during Spring Fling Motorcycle Rally? If so, then mark your calendars to join us on Saturday April 22nd to "Ride Between The Pigs" Feel free to download the Rocker Ride map & ride through the Ozarks next time you are in Northwest Arkansas! * Lunch will be provided for the registered riders! Lunch location will be announced - we are very sorry for the short notice of changing lunch this was unfortunately out of our control. Lunch will be provided for those who have registered but please note that there will be other menu items that can be purchased on your own as well as for non-registered riders.

Looking for boots? Stephanie has shopped around for the perfect riding boot. Jordan at Denney's Harley-Davidson in Springfield, Missouri helped answer several questions & find that right fit: Kirtland Harley-Davidson Women's Riding Boots Of course, Denney's Harley-Davidson had a great selection of footwear but the staff is super knowledgable & took their time with her. The Kirtland HD Riding boot is offered in Black or Brown leather. Other features include: Adjustable back laces allow for a customizable calf fit. Full grain leathers and a mesh lining keep your feet happy on and off the bike. Plus... they are tall, dark and …sexy!.