The Real Deal
We spoke on the negatives and positives comparing
clubs from the past to now:
GGMC Lou stated Dedication today is a neg-
ative. The old guys will kill or die for it while the
younger ones won’t. Clubs growing today is a positive.
We have more people, more bikes, and more clubs
now.
CMC Igo stated motorcycles as a negative. They
used to strip down and fix their own bikes, build their
own parts.
HOWMC Gandolf missing the thrill, the goose-
bumps. The Brotherhood isn’t there anymore; kids
don’t listen and want to make their own rules, buck-
ing the system. A positive is how they can depend
on other clubs. If one breaks down, another club will
help.
RBMC Uncle Roy states it’s hard to get the
young kids in and especially for them to have the ded-
ication. RBMC Uncle Roy says to always get your lady
as behind the club as you are.
4 Friends, 4 Patches
I went to the Hell On Wheels MC Clubhouse for
their get together, but also to get a picture of four
friends from four patches; Confederate Igo, Gray
Ghosts Lou, Hell On Wheels Gandolf, and Road Bar-
on Uncle Roy (listed alphabetically by club), who are
truly the “Real Deal.” They have approximately 212
years riding time between them.
A few times in articles I’ve mentioned I love how
the clubs here get along so well. This article is a prime
example of this. These 4 friends, 4 patches have been
friends since the 1980’s with HOWMC Gandolf
knowing each one first. HOWMC Gandolf first met
GG Lou New Year’s Day 1983, which started a tradi-
tion of NYD rides. Confederate Igo and HOWMC
Gandolf met through a cousin in 1983, and then in
1989 HOWMC Gandolf met Road Baron Uncle Roy.
HOWMC Gandolf was part owner of O’Neals, which
is now Coyotes, at the time he met RBMC Uncle Roy.
O’Neals didn’t have the porch in the back yet; RBMC
Uncle Roy and RBMC Purple would ride their bikes
through the back door, do a burnout, then ride out
through the front door every time.
CMC Igo tells of a Fourth of July when he was a
Gray Ghost and was on the way to the GGMC club-
house for a party when he was run over by a Cadillac.
He called GGMC Cowboy for a ride. At GGMC Lou’s
prodding, GGMC Cowboy sent his girlfriend on her
pink Sportster. CMC Igo refused to ride behind her
and made her let him ride.
by Stacey "Snoopy" Conly
Year’s Day HOWMC Gandolf would cook cabbage
and peas then they would go for a ride whether it was
rain, sleet, or sunshine. There would be 10-20 bikes
each year on the NYD Rides.
I asked the four of them what their thoughts are on
the future of the clubs compared to the past, prospects
in general. HOWMC Gandolf states they “grew up on
‘Easy Rider’ and kids today grew up on ‘Sons of Mar-
larky’.” RBMC Uncle Roy stated to teach the young
bloods. RBMC Uncle Roy stated to he would never
ask a prospect to do anything he wouldn’t or hasn’t
done himself. RBMC Uncle Roy asked a prospect to
go talk to a lady who was with a huge guy. The pros-
pect replied with “that’s a huge sob.” RBMC Uncle Roy
said, “FAIL!” He never would have let the prospect
follow through. It was also agreed that kids these days
think they are bikers two weeks after getting a bike.
CMC Igo stated people give excuses of not being
able to ride for various reasons, but yet RBMC Lefty
had a lifeless right arm, which he velcroed to the gas
throttle and below his left knee he was an amputee.
These things never stopped RBMC Lefty from riding.
CMC Igo has also never bought a bike brand new or
even running.
GGMC Lou and HOWMC Gandolf, who were
originally members of the original A.B.A.T.E. chapter,
spoke of the forming of the Gray Ghosts Motorcycle
Club. At Bonnie & Clyde Day in 1993, Paul came
to HOWMC Gandolf about forming a new club, 13
members were needed and HOWMC Gandolf knew
he could come up with 10. GGMC Lou was the third
person contacted. The club started as the Southern
Knights. After the club was started HOWMC Gandolf
went Independent for a few years. GGMC Lou is the
last active charter member.
All four agreed the backseat was made for bitches.
I am not sure if that’s a positive or a negative, but I’m
betting it’s a positive considering these four!
I wish I could type every story, every witticism,
every profound piece of advice these guys discussed.
I literally had seven pages of notes and laughed the
whole time. If you want to hear about old school, go
to the old guys. I know they won’t mind me word-
ing it that way. There’s a lot to be said about the old
school ways and I’m honored to be able to know these
guys and others like them; I have so much respect for
them. They are truly “The Real Deal”.
RBMC Uncle Roy spoke on being a member of
a club. When you put on a patch, it’s not just your
patch, but the whole club’s patch. What you do reflects
on the club. If you’re drunk, you’re responsible for
your actions. People see clubs as the same and they
don’t know differently.
They all agreed there is less respect for motorcycles
because they don’t live the life. HOWMC Gandolf
remembered a guy coming into O’Neals who was 6’5
and sat on someone’s bike. CMC Igo came out of the
grocery store one day to find a woman putting her
kids on his bike. RBMC Uncle Roy remembered a
time when “citizens” were sitting in the back when the
bar closed. Two young kids were yelling “Where’s the
drugs?” RBMC Uncle Roy’s wife hit him. I’m guessing
he didn’t yell out again.
On Sundays they used to get together with no club
affiliation starting from HOWMC Gandolf ’s house
going through Longwood and riding to Uncertain,
TX. On the way they would stop at Miller’s Store
where they would always let them in no matter if they
were open or closed. The friends would get their beer
and a cardboard box, walk across the road to drink
their beer, put their trash in the box, and then take
the trash back to the store to throw it away. Then they
would continue on their ride after leaving their hel-
mets at Miller’s heading