Thunder Roads LA Magazine June 2017 JUNE | Page 36

BIKER
DOWN
HONORING YOUR MEMORY
By: Jimmy Marcel
James J. Marcel Jr. “Tuddy”
I’m very proud to call him
family, I’m very proud to
call him my friend, and I’m
very proud to say I LOVE
Him. I can’t think of anyone,
whose life he touched, that
doesn’t feel the same way.
He was a hard-working
man with a heart of gold
and always had a way of
making people smile.
My whole life growing up, I always admired and looked up to Tuddy as a role
model and as a mentor. From an early age, I’ve always wanted what he had.
When he got his first motorbike, I wanted one, when he got his old hot rod Ford
Pick-up, I wanted one, and I was always envious of him. For my career, straight
out of high school, I even chose to be a welder, because He was a welder and it
got him all the things I wanted. I always loved our times together growing up,
fishing and hunting and most of all, partying! When it was time to party, you
couldn’t find better people to make a party. With his love of music and his nat-
ural talent it was obvious he’d be an entertainer. Not just in his musical talents
and abilities, but also in the way he could lighten up a r oom making everyone
happy and was never afraid to be the first one on the dance floor to kick things
off. There are too many memories for me to begin listing them all, but there’s
one that’s both joyful and painful that I need to share:
“Saturday, April 1, 2017”
It had been a while, since we had rode together.
With work and duties, and this crazy Louisiana weather,
But the pieces fell together, where we were both free to ride
And ride we did, with a happiness we couldn’t hide
We covered new ground, and made new friends
With people we never knew, in places we’d never been
A great day it was, full of what we both loved
Spreading laughter and happiness, with clear skies above
As we traveled, from one place to another
My heart was full of pride, to be riding with my Brother,
As the day came to an end, and it was time to head for home
I was grateful we were together, and of the places we did roam
When we shared our good byes, until we meet again
I didn’t know it would be forever, or how this day would end.
I’m so sorry that you’re gone; things will never be the same
May you enjoy eternal life, GOD has a new angel, and Tuddy is his name!
PASTORS CORNER
Someone once said, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Well if
that is the case here is my thousand words.
Over the years, I have learned that our Heavenly Father will never
leave us or forsake us. Even when things look the worst, God is still
there. He has brought me through each situation and trial in my life
and I know He will not give up on me.
Look at what He said to the children of Israel when they were faced
with a difficult situation.
“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them;
for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not
leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV
God is with you! You are not alone. He hasn’t given up on you. He’s
not mad at you, and He will never abandon you. Jesus said these
words in Matthew 28:20
“and lo, I am with you always.”
When we know Jesus, we never ride alone. Even if we have a solo
seat. So, put on a smile because He is with you.
See you in the wind
Pastor T
34 Thunder Roads Magazine Louisiana | June 2017 | www.thunderroadslouisiana.com
IN LOUISIANA'S HEART
I’m finally free! Well, let me rephrase that. As a US citizen, I’m free every day
my feet hit the floor...but that’s not the point of my story. What I mean to say
is that my scooter is finally back on the road after failing swim team tryouts
this past August...sort of. (remember our big flood here in La.?) There’s a long
way to go before she’s straight, but we were up in the breeze for a shakedown
the other day. That twistin’ and a grinnin’ is the freedom I was getting at. The
goal was to make sure things that were pumping still pumped, things that were
supposed to move still moved, and things that were supposed to stay put didn’t
bounce down the asphalt in some unplanned(yet entertaining) fashion. The
funny thing is that with that being the mission (which was accomplished, by
the way), I ended up learning a lot more about this state that I now call home.
Where I come from is a bit north of the Mason-Dixon. It’s a lot different than
here while at the same time it is a lot the same. This is neither bad nor good. It
just is. Keeping that in the front of your noodle, I’m gonna tell you that when
you find yourself on the side of the road up there, you’re pretty much on your
own. Because of that, I’ve grown accustomed to carrying enough tools to do
everything I need to do short of a complete rebuild right on the side of road.
So, fast forward to my little shakedown jaunt the other day in South Louisiana,
I didn’t really expect any different. I’m not certain I could have been any more
wrong if you had asked my wife (just ask her).
You see, even though I mentioned earlier that my shakedown mission was
a success, it was not without some bumps in the road so to speak. I had set
out with the plan to just go “around the block” and come back. That way I
By: Nate T.
didn’t get too far away if things started to go a bit sideways on me. Against
my better judgement, when I got to the end of that block with an ear-to-ear
grin that would have made the Joker jealous, I kept on truckin’. Of course, soon
thereafter, things got a bit more interesting.
I had just rebuilt my clutch completely because apparently they don’t take
too well to being underwater. As I’m sure you’ve already surmised...this new
assembly needed some adjustment which left me on the side of the road not
once, but three times. Now, I more or less expected this and was prepared with
my trusty tool roll. However, what I didn’t expect was how many people stopped
to ask if I was alright or needed a hand. It wasn’t just other motorcyclists or
bikers either. These people were male and female of all kinds of ethnicities. I
even had one elderly man offer to go back to the house and bring tools back if I
needed. When I told him I had what I needed, he asked if he could stick around
to make sure I got back on the road okay...and he did just that. All of them
just saw someone who might be in need and wanted to help out...just people
looking out for people.
Back in August, I saw this sort of concern for the fellow man all of the time
as we had to stick together to make it through tragedies with little light at the
end of the tunnel. People gave the shirts of their backs, opened their homes
to complete strangers, and so much more. The thing is it wasn’t the flood that
brought this out of the woodwork. This is what is in the hearts and on the
minds of Louisianans are every day of every week of every year. With the way
the world has been going lately, this is something worth standing for.
Journey from Depression
to Heaven
By: Mystic Rider
s I feel the weight of daily living build upon my shoulders heavier and
heavier I turn to my only and best outlet for relief. The growing challenges
of managing my daily affairs reaches a crescendo once again. There’s no
choice left but to hop on the bike! Take off for a ride! Jump on the Iron Horse!
Power up the motor-machine once more!
My journey is measured not by a map of interconnected roadways and highways
but by how much time I have to ride. I travel as far as I can as allotted by the
time I have to complete the Ancient Oriental Circuit. Gauging the expedition by
time to travel instead of miles to traverse I set myself for yet another mystical
tour on the Road to Heaven. In my Vehicle of Rapture.
I shift through the gears not by the markers on my speedometer but by the
sound of the engine growling ever louder and the increasing press of the wind
upon my face and body.
I take curves not by the posted speed limits of maximum safety but by how
sharp they appear turning in my vision and how low I can angle the bike with
my weight to the ground. The faster I can move the bike coupled with the
lowest level angle of the machine that gravity will uphold I round the turns
with Physics-defying speed and angular momentum. And death-defying
confidence.
The speed at which I travel is determined by the length of roadway ahead of me.
The longer the strip the higher the indicator on the speedometer rises. Tipping
A
three-digit mph’s while topping out the RPM’s on the tachometer brings a sense
of elation and supremely singular focus of mind that lifts the spirit beyond all
boundaries of depression.
Dodging road kill and cars alike I angle the bike with a Starship Captain’s
precision leaving behind in my mirrors a faint glint of the stars I rocketed past.
The Bike is my Space Shuttle to Happiness. The Road is my Launching Pad to
Pleasure. The Journey is my Destination to Heaven.
My drug of choice will forever be the Heroin High I get from riding. The Opium
Orgasm I feel from the vibration of the vehicle. The Coke Climax of hearing the
engine roar to the twist of my throttle. The Reefer’s Relief I feel from smelling
the smoke of burning rubber. The Ecstatic Ecstasy I feel from running and
gunning my machine beyond its limits and those of the Laws of Physics. Far
surpassing the posted laws limiting how fast one can take an upcoming curve
or fly down a straight-away.
Inebriated with the wine of delight I leave behind the cares of yesterday as I
create new joys and exultations on my Journey from Depression to Heaven.
www.thunderroadslouisiana.com | June 2017 | Thunder Roads Magazine Louisiana
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