Passing The Torch

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. If you don't remember me, my name is Dean Akey and I will be your guide for another fun filled edition. Are you ready? OK then, let’s get started…
It has been said that four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul. Riding always has been a spiritual journey for me. My journey started twenty five years ago with Laverne. Laverne was my 1979 Harley Sportster. Since Laverne, I have had quite a few more spiritual relationships. Betty, my 2001 Road King has been the longest and quite honestly the most spiritual of all of the relationships I have had over the years.

Betty has served me well over the years taking me across country more times than I can remember. She was with me when I was hit head on by a minivan on a crisp Sunday morning. I was in Plainfield and was hit on a single lane metal grate bridge. The accident left me with a broken collar bone, ten broken ribs and a head that looks like something out of a horror movie. The insurance folks wanted to throw in the towel on Betty but I would not hear of it. I was lucky to be alive and Betty took the lion’s share of the damage to protect me. I figured if I am still here that Betty should be as well. Betty and I began to heal together and we both returned to the road once again. Of course she looked much better than I did. Every time I threw my leg over Betty, I would stroke her tank and ask her to once again help me complete my journey. Over time I would give Betty presents like the thirteen guardian bells that adorned her handle bars. Those were Betty’s earrings. The color matched Iron Braids that were on her clutch and break levers were her long flowing hair. Over time Betty started to show signs of getting “tired”. I didn’t really notice much as I always saw Betty as something more than a motorcycle. She was as beautiful to me as any motorcycle ever made. I was and still am in love with my girl.
We had a connection that I am sure many of you have with your trusty scooters. I could tell by the sounds or feel if there was anything wrong with my girl. I believe the key to any lasting relationship is being dialed into the needs of your partner.

You may be surprised to know but in addition to being Editor of Thunder Roads, I am also an Ordained Minister. I don’t hold a position in a church but do have quite a strong relationship with my God. My God and my soul mate Eileen, who is my bride of nineteen years, helped me realize that it was time to make the change. The wonderful folks at Zylstra who originally introduced me to Betty in 2000 and had built her over the years to my specifications understood my attachment and actually did an amazing job helping me. Tiny, Zylstra’s GM was more of a grief counselor for me than I could have hoped for. I took delivery of my fourteenth motorcycle and decided to name her “Black Betty”. If you are wondering why I chose the name Betty let me explain. Betty was named after the 1940’s pinup legend Betty Page. To me Betty Page was beautiful before you could buy beautiful and she didn’t know it.

My wish is that Betty’s next relationship is as wonderful as ours has been and I wish her well. Betty and I had in common our restlessness and love of the open road. Now my attention is focused on building my new relationship with my new 2009 Street Glide “Black Betty”.
Black Betty & Betty Betty & Black Betty You may notice from the pictures of Betty & Black Betty that I have dedicated my new scooter to the Rescue Riders. Thanks to the generosity from the law firm of Hupy & Abraham and Allstate Insurance Company, we have trained over 500 volunteer Rescue Riders in Illinois & Wisconsin. These fellow bikers have the training and tools to help victims of accidents. In 2009 we will be training more Rescue Rider volunteers so stay tuned. If you would like to learn more about the Rescue Riders please visit our website http://www.rescueriders.org/.

Well, that’s it for this month. When I am not sharing my wisdom with you via my Thunder Roads editorials or running the Rescue Rider program, I run an insurance agency West of Chicago. I enjoy working with fellow bikers helping you protect what matters most. If I can help you with your insurance please drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com or give me a call at 877-232-9899. I would love to hear from you. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

America Needs Heroes, Not Zero's

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. If you don't remember me, my name is Dean Akey and I will be your guide for another fun filled edition. Are you ready? OK then, let’s get started…
It seems to me that the tail has been wagging the dog for far too long. Let’s face it; a majority of our elected officials have simply lost touch with us, their constituents. Our elected officials need to remember that they were “appointed” and not “anointed”. In the past few months we have seen more zero’s than in any time in history. Those zeros came from us and went for pork laden stimulus packages, an omnibus spending bill with close to 9000 earmarks which totaled over $5 billion dollars and the list goes on….

Enough is Enough… America Needs Heroes, Not Zero’s…
I want to introduce you to Dave Zein. Dave served as a Wisconsin State Senator from 1986 – 2006 and has been a “man of the people” both in and out of office. Dave earned a Purple Heart while serving our country in Vietnam as a Marine.
Impressed yet? Read on. Dave holds 109 long distance riding records. As a legislator from 1986 to December 1, 2006 Dave logged 1,327,500 total miles on two wheels. Now you may be thinking, did this guy ever work? You bet he did and I wish other elected officials worked as tirelessly as Dave does.

In addition to being a riding machine, Dave initiated the first major veteran's monument that recognizes motorcyclists...Wisconsin Veterans Tribute, Cadot, Wisconsin.
Dave also helped coordinate the largest object left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. (a handmade custom Harley, 1998) and was inducted into the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museums at Anamosa, Iowa, Pickerington, Ohio and Sturgis, South Dakota. When not riding, Dave has run 11 marathons (26.2 miles each) carrying a 3X5 USA flag on a pole to honor fallen veterans and as a reminder of POW/MIA's.
Dave’s accomplishments are legendary but here is one that will blow your mind. While Dave has logged over 2 million miles in the saddle close to half of them were on his 1991 Harley FXRP. On April 4th, Dave will hit 1 million miles on his trusty scooter. That’s 1 million miles on one motorcycle. This will be a world record.

To celebrate this true American hero and honor his accomplishments there will be a “Landing Party” at Hal’s Harley Davidson, (one mile south of I-94 at the Moreland Road exit) New Berlin, Wisconsin, on April 4th at noon. The party is being hosted by the law firm of Hupy & Abraham. Hupy & Abraham has sponsored Dave and his attempt to set this world record. You also probably have heard of Hupy & Abraham as their generous support has helped put close to 500 new Rescue Riders on the road in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota in the last year. Many thanks to Hupy & Abraham for all you do to help the biker community.
Our friends from the Patriot Guard Riders will be lining the streets and waving flags as the procession arrives to honor this milestone and show appreciation for all that Dave has done for veterans and bikers over the years.

Did I mention that Dave is a Rescue Rider? Dave will be dedicating his landing to Wisconsin based Accident Scene Management who have trained over 10,000 bikers nationally in emergency response and the Rescue Riders. Please come out and join us at Hal’s to celebrate this world record and honor a true American Hero. I hope to see you there.
On March 15th, Dave celebrated his 60th birthday. When asked about aging Dave said, “Age is a figment of the imagination. We really don't get old, we get wiser, but our soul is always young." I couldn’t have said it any better my friend.

Well, that’s it for this month. When I am not sharing my wisdom with you via my Thunder Roads editorials or running the Rescue Rider program, I run an insurance agency West of Chicago. I enjoy working with fellow bikers helping you protect what matters most. If I can help you with your insurance please drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com or give me a call at 877-232-9899. I would love to hear from you. Until next month, enjoy the ride.