Tippi Hedron and Steven Segal.  I’m just name dropping but they really are part of the story.

Tippi Hedron was an actress in Hitchcock’s “The Birds”.  Once retired from acting, she established a big cat sanctuary just north of Angeles National Forest outside of L.A.  The sanctuary cares for lions and tigers mostly.  Those that had once been pets, or circus animals, or any variety of abandoned or abused wild cats that needed care but could not be returned to the wild.

The sanctuary held an annual fund raising event on the grounds.  One year the Harley dealer in Marina Del Rey arranged a “ride” as a way to raise money.  Bikers were charged a fee to join the ride.  We all gathered at the dealership on the appointed morning.  All 300 plus of us.  All on Harleys.  Except me.  I was on my Honda.  To make things worse, my Honda was a “Shadow”.  A direct rip off of a Harley model.  Harley owners did not like Harley imitations and were known to express their distain in destructive ways.  But that day, probably as this was a charity event, they communicated their feelings with sneers and insults only.

We left the dealership in reasonably orderly two-by-two fashion, but pretty tightly grouped.  The police had blocked off a few miles of PCH to allow us space.  We were quite the sight and sound riding en masse.  KTLA channel 5 had a van that was travelling with us.  The back door of the van was open and a cameraman was sitting in back pointing the camera at all of the oncoming motorcycles.  For some unknown reason, he chose me and my Honda as his subject.  He waved to me to drive closer and center in front of his camera.  Once he had the footage he wanted, he waved to me and closed the van doors, making in obvious to my fellow riders that my Honda and I were the star of the show.  (I was featured in the news that evening.)

In about an hour, we arrived at the sanctuary.  As I was parking my Honda, a number of Harley owners shared how unfair and inappropriate they felt it was that a Harley ride would be represented by a Honda.  Actually it was just a lot of swearing but I think that was the message.

Fortunately, once I was away from my Honda, the association was broken and I was able to enjoy the day and an uneventful ride home.

Steven Seagal?  Did you know that he had a band?  They were playing as part of the entertainment.  He is as impressive a musician as he is an actor.  I can prove it.  Check out one of his two albums “Talk to My Ass”.  I’m not making this up.