o t h e r w o r l d l y

The riders who attended the Zen meditation instruction described it as relaxing, deep and effective (you can check out Fire Lotus Temple’s free instruction program six days a week). And how was riding to a Hindu temple that looked (and felt) like it was airlifted from India and dropped amongst Bear Mountain's twisties? Surreal is a word that comes to mind.

After feeding us and giving us a tour, the temple’s abbot extended an open invitation to us, a bunch of strangers on bikes, and anyone else who was interested or hungry. When asked who we should ask for, he responded with a smile in true yoda fashion “ask for the man in the saffron robe”.

An inspired conversation ensued between riders about meditation and other mysteries, and our cultural translator, Shanti, helped us decipher some of the temple's traditions. Alas we had a lost tribe; a few riders who went to the wrong meeting place and got stuck in rain. It was great seeing Geo and Shanti again, and I’m happy to say we popped Mughen’s first group-ride cherry.

Speaking of cherries, the one on top was Carmel Production’s Gods of India party, where the exotically beautiful and deliciously bizarre coexisted. This laidback rooftop party offered the perfect close to our journey. Shoutouts to D'artagnan, Theresa and Latisha for joining us in costume. Some pics:

Props especially go to Tom McGhee, our adventurous photographer who not only rode bitch all day through twisties, Sunday traffic and road-raged cagers with no bitchin’, but also managed to capture these intense images of our temple run:

e p i c

How does 80 bikes twisting up to the heights of Bear Mountain under a full moon overlooking the Hudson River valley sound? Yup, it was that epic. Midnight fireworks, wise ass comments and new friends as extra bonuses. Props to NY Sport Bike Riders for organizing this event four years ago and keeping it going. It’s a sight to see and should not be missed next year. They are a great group of guys, organize varied rides for different proficiency levels, and run a happy, safe and tight ship. Shoutout to BEnt’s Alex, Jodi and Travis for scraping the shit out of their cruisers and keeping up like champs.

Four Wheels Good ...

' w t f ! '

Pretty much what we were all thinking after feeling the G’s of these lil’ machines on a Hotwheels-sized track that magnified every curve. A few crashes, black flags and bruised egos later we decided to make this an annual event and open it up to other riding clubs. That’s right, an annual go-kart tournament for bikers. Mayhem? Perhaps. Unadulterated fun? Definitely. Props to progenitor Nick LaHara of Tri-State Motorcyclists and Julian for braving the rain and securing a place on our npp roster.

chelin' Deme Nick n Julian go kart racing Collared

WHAT’S NEXT?

The biggie? BIKER QUEST, an augmented reality adventure for bikers in the greater NY area and beyond. Biker Entourage and Pear Enterprises are feverishly designing this pioneering effort as we speak, and we’ll try to roll it out in time for this riding season. This involves challenging, real world missions incorporating sexy, surprising and edifying deeds with an emphasis on communing with other bikers. Submit your email on bikerentourage.com to make sure you don’t miss out. Hint: watch out for clues on BEnt’s social media.

There’s talk of a ZOMBIE RIDE, a HAUNTED HIGHWAY RIDE for Halloween, and MOTORCYCLE THEATER, an innovative, interactive theatrical experience where bikers should expect the unexpected. And of course there’s our ANNUAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY RIDE (9/19), which will include throwing eyeballs and treats at innocents in Times Square, engaging in a mock swordfight on Wall Street (yea you heard), and paying homage to NY’s greatest pirate (Cap’n Crunch, err Kidd). Check out coverage of our last pirate ride.

WANTED: ACTORS, STAGE CREATIVES & THE SKILLED

Seeking male and female actors and stage creatives (playwrights/directors/setdesigners) for MOTORCYCLE THEATER. We’re also seeking pretty much anyone with a skill that can be incorporated in this innovative theatrical project. Examples include jugglers, stunters, masseuses, henna artists, musicians, comedians, stupid pet tricks etc.). Please contact Biker Entourage.

Stay tuned, ride hard n ride safe,

Deme Spy, Grand Poobah
Committee of Motocycleterasts,
Biker Entourage