Thunder Roads Magazine of Oklahoma/Arkansas TRMOKAR July 2017_FINAL | Page 20

FEATURES
THE LONG ROAD
BY CHRIS GIBBANY
This is the 18th year for The
Smoke Out in Rockingham,
North Carolina and I have always
wanted to attend. With pets
and other obligations, this has
not been possible….until NOW!
Our beloved dog of almost
11 years passed away in late
December and a few months ago
I found out some exciting news;
“The Long Road” is leaving from
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, just
45 miles from where I live!!!!
“The Long Road” is a multi-day
journey that consists of 1000+
miles and starts each year from a
different part of the US and ends
up at The Smoke Out.
I would have never dreamed
that when I bought my 1956
FL engine eight years ago that I
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Thunder Roads Magazine of OK/AR
would be doing this! I designed
my Panhead in my head and it
took my husband and I over six
years to build it in a backyard
shed. My bike has an open belt
primary and just a small strip of
leather screwed onto a metal
seat pan. I was told that no
woman has ever ridden a vintage,
much less a hardtail vintage bike
on “The Long Road”.
After deciding to ride my
vintage Harley on “The Long
Road”, STA-BIL and 303
Products became my main
sponsors. I love STA-BIL and
303 Products are the best I have
ever used, especially the 303
Aerospace Protectant.
Gold
Eagle, makers of STA-BIL and
303 has been great to support
me in all the events that I am
involved with. I became a CRO
(CoolRidesOnline) Champ in
2015 and it has been one of
the best experiences of my life.
CoolRidesOnline is the online
community for Gold Eagle
Brands.
Avon Tyres has come on
board as a sponsor since they
remembered me winning the
Garage Girls Ultimate Biker
Makeover in 2014 and have sent
me a new set of tires. I only run
Avon MK II’s (both on the front
and back) due to the enhanced
rideability, not to mention the
sheer factor that they look
AMAZING on vintage bikes.
Another sponsor of the
Garage Girls Makeover that