MAMBM '06

Early this summer, Rand McNally came down from the tip-o-the-mit, spent the night, and the next morning we headed south for west Tennessee and MAMBM. "Me And My Big Mouth is Roger's" annual NetScum IRL and it's been growing bigger every year. This the first MAMBM for both Rand and myself.

For those who require need an explanation, there's a few hundred motorcycle-riding NetScum out there using the net's resources  to talk about Harleys, politics and life, and to arrange in-real-life parties all over the country.


Despite folk's concerns that there's Ax Murderers on the internet, they still ride hundreds, even thousands of miles to meet each other, share adult beverages and tell lies with people they meet online.

We often come this >< close to having fun.

So, with our bikes loaded with camping gear, we headed south, taking US highways across rolling farmlands, and small towns thru Indiana and Kentucky. With beautiful weather, and little traffic, Rand and I easily moved down the latitudes, noting the ascending east/west numbered highways. 540 miles later, we were at the Temporary Bar & Grill outside Martin, TN.

 Folks literally came from all four corners of the country. For two days, Slugs, Newbies, Bitches(tm), Wenches(tm), Assholes(tm), a Tattooed Goddess, and several FTLMFs got reacquainted, put faces to names, made new friends, passed mason jars of various liquids, watched the worst imaginable biker movies, rode together, freed puppies, and ate a well BBQ'd pig!

Sunday morning, I found the cole slaw was *not* as good the second go around. I woke up with one foot in the grave and lacked the will to live. Rand dragged me out of my tent, hooked me up to a caffeine IV, allowed me to mumble my good-byes, and got me on my horse.

Life slowly returned as we headed north. By virtue of his superior navigational skills and the fact that *he* still had a brain, Rand took the lead. His GPGPSPSS was well tuned, and we found ourselves riding north on KY Scenic Byways through rolling countryside. Storm clouds threatened, and 'bout 10 drops of rain hit us, but we out-ran the storm. Some guy pulling a boat tried hard to take us both out, but screwed up by allowing us just enough shoulder to get by. Rand had a bit of trouble with some green effluent oozing out of his bike ... Hope he figured that out. Other than all that, twas a beautiful day and a great ride.

Oh yeah, Roger puts out a collection jar to help defray costs, and anything extra goes to help our friend Eddie who's wheelchair bound from an accident many years ago This year, donations exceeded expenses by more than $1,490 - all of which went to Eddie.

What a crowd, eh?

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