A Boomer and GenXer Walk into a Bar
Wit and wisdom, some smart assery, and a Mother and Daughter questioning “Are we even related?”
A Boomer and GenXer Walk into a Bar
Freedom, Bikes, and Generosity Unleashed with Guest Ozzy Bob S:1 E23
So sorry for the late posting today! You can blame the bonehead Boomer for that one!!!
Join us for an enlightening conversation with Ozzy Bob, a passionate lifelong member of ABATE of Iowa, as we uncover the impactful work of this organization, which stands for A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education. From promoting motorcycle rights to ensuring rider safety education, ABATE is a driving force in advocating for motorcyclists across the nation. We'll also share a personal story that highlights ABATE's generosity, having provided our own family with a rider education course and a lifetime membership for Jane's grandson.
From memorable antics to the significant contributions the biking community makes through charity and advocacy, this episode celebrates the spirit and resilience of motorcyclists across the nation.
NOTE: Hosts and guest do not represent ABATE of Iowa in any elected or designated roles. This discussion is simply members' views of the organization.
email: boomerandgenxer@gmail.com
Welcome everyone to today's show. A Boomer and Gen Xer walk into a bar, coming to you from not the rabbit hole studio but the rabbit run because we are still on the road when you, as our listener, will experience some wit and wisdom, some smart assery and a mother and daughter questioning. Are we even related? My name is Jane Burt, my host is my host, my co-host, co-host is my daughter, bobbi, and for the next I don't know 20, 25 minutes we're going to talk about, bobbi, you have a guest in the studio today. Talk to me.
Speaker 2:I do I do. So we're actually in the Rabbit Hole studio today, even though you are still out and about on the road. So we have a very special guest today, who's a friend of both of us, that we've known for a little over a year now, and he's here to talk about something that I love to talk about and I know that you love to talk about. So, yeah, we're going to talk about something called a bait. Talk to me about that. Well, I think that our guest his name is Bob Clark, but he goes by Ozzy Bob he should be the one to let us know what that's all about.
Speaker 1:I think that's a good idea. Can you talk to us about what is ABAIT, what purpose do they serve and you know what's your experience with it?
Speaker 3:All right. Well, abait of Iowa is. Abait is an actual acronym, it stands for a brotherhood aimed towards education and we, basically we're a motorcycle rights organization and basically let me read this to you Okay.
Speaker 3:ABA of Iowa is an organization consisting of motorcycle enthusiasts throughout the state of Iowa. Our goals and purposes are to keep motorcyclists, members and the public informed, to promote safe riding habits and to encourage favorable legislation for motorcyclists. These are accomplished through monthly newsletters, rider safety education programs designed to help prevent fatal and personal injury crashes. Our Share the Road program is designed to make the public more aware of motorcycles and their riders. We have a two-wheel trauma program that helps educate EMTs and ambulance personnel of proper procedures when coming upon a motorcycle crash. This, along with our lobbying efforts at the Capitol, which tomorrow, by the way, is Lobby Day. A-bait of Iowa Incorporated is a neutral organization that allows all riders to unite in a brotherhood to safeguard our rights and still remain individuals with differing views. A-bait of Iowa feels that all motorcyclists are brothers with a common interest riding free.
Speaker 1:Statement. That's a great statement. So A-Bait is not unfamiliar to me. I was a member of the chapter 25 years ago and then we had a podcast about the shooting in Perry, iowa, where our grandson my grandson was shot and Abate came through and was very generous and provided some educational programs for him to learn how to ride his motorcycle, because he wasn't really a rider at that time he was only 15 years old and they came through and offered him free education and a free course. Is that correct, bobby?
Speaker 2:Yeah, they paid for his writer education course, which is a two-day course, and they also paid for a lifetime membership to abate for.
Speaker 1:Corey, and that's very, very generous, I must say. So, ozzie, thank you for that. We really appreciate that and the generosity that this group has given us.
Speaker 3:Oh, you're very welcome.
Speaker 1:And also I noticed that I was looking at some of the abate information. So do you know when it was actually originated, when it was founded?
Speaker 2:Because I have the answer.
Speaker 3:I believe Abate was created, I think in 1984.
Speaker 1:Well close 1971 it was founded, think in 1984. Well close 1971 it was founded. And it was founded by easy writers magazine founder. The guy who? Who owned is that correct, easy writer magazine? He was the one who really pushed it. And how many states do you think that now you represent iowa or you're you're part of the Iowa group? I shouldn't say you represent Iowa, but you are part of the Iowa Abate group, correct?
Speaker 3:Yes, I'm a life member of Abate of Iowa.
Speaker 1:Okay, and how many states do you think are participating in Abate across the US?
Speaker 3:I'd like to say that every state has a chapter of a bait, but I could be wrong. There may be a few States that do not have a bait. Um, like, I think Missouri has a different. They're like a freedom of the road riders organization, which is a lot like ABAIT of Iowa.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:Or ABAIT.
Speaker 1:Well, Bobbi, what do you think? How many do you think I?
Speaker 2:believe, is it 48?.
Speaker 1:You're both pretty close, it's 44. 44. 44 states have an ABAIT chapter or have ABAIT chapters in their state and so pretty popular group and you know the way that we've always, uh, been affiliated with this ozzy has been through a lot of the charity rides and so you guys, you guys do a lot for charities, correct?
Speaker 3:uh, yes, we.
Speaker 1:We do an annual toy run um for christmas for the underprivileged kids of of iowa okay, and so, uh, what happens, folks, and and we've talked about this before, bobby, I know you and I had mentioned it before is, anytime you see a group of motorcyclists out and you're, you know, you're having to wait alongside the road because you got a long group of motorcyclists coming through.
Speaker 1:They aren't doing that just to tick you off, they're not just going through the, you know, we don't. You guys don't ask for police escorts to get these large groups through just to irritate drivers. It's because this large group of riders and correct me if I'm wrong here, ozzie, group of riders, and correct me if I'm wrong here, ozzy this large group of riders is actually riding each time to collect money, because there's a fee associated with riding on these rides, and so the riders themselves pay money. Then they also, out of their own pockets, contribute money or, as you had mentioned, um, you guys do the toy run and they can buy toys right and donate those for underprivileged kids. So what a great group. I mean, you know, I know you guys can be some hellcats, don't get me wrong, because I've been around all of you and you know we're bikers and we love riding our bikes too, and I think what's really important to understand is ABAID is really a big advocate for biker safety. We just want to keep everybody safe on the roads, right.
Speaker 3:Yes, road Program that A-Bate of Iowa has managed to pass a law in the state of Iowa that every student in the driver's ed program has to be presented a Share the Road Program by an A-Bate member.
Speaker 1:And what is that exactly? What is that Share the Road Program?
Speaker 3:Well, it's the the share of the road program this.
Speaker 1:This training is intended to reduce accidents between motor vehicle drivers and motorcyclists okay, and it's my understanding, looking at some statistics, that you know the reason that you guys focus or excuse me, I keep saying you guys but the reason that the foundation or the groups focus so much on safety education and we're going to be the first ones to admit this is because human error is the majority of the problems with motorcycle accidents. It's typically some type of human error, maybe on the motorcyclist part, it may be on, you know it's typically some type of human error, maybe on the motorcyclist part, it may be on, you know, another driver that has hit a motorcyclist. It isn't really paying attention, and so the more education that we can put out there, not only for the riders but for other drivers, is really imperative, wouldn't you say?
Speaker 3:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1:We have a lot of distracted drivers, especially nowadays with cell phones and, oh yeah, all the fancy stuff in people's cars that there's so much distraction and you know a motorcyclist is very hard to see sometimes and you're not paying attention and I know that a lot of times people get mad at us because, you know, especially on Harley Davidson's, because we do have some pretty loud pipes.
Speaker 3:Loud pipes save lives.
Speaker 1:That's right, I was just. I was going to say because don't get me wrong we put them on because they're cool and they sound cool, but they are saving our lives and if we can get anybody's attention, you know, I know, in defensive driving we were always taught, you know, make eye contact, try to make eye contact. When you see the other driver come up to the stop sign, make sure they see you.
Speaker 3:but anymore, even though they make eye contact, they're looking right through us oh, I've made eye contact several times and they have still pulled out in front of me yeah and um, bobby, I think you had that situation with you and Corey here not very long ago, didn't you?
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, actually we did where um a car had ran through. It was actually funny because it was twice in the same ride. We were just, you know, coming out of town. We were driving through town and one kid blew right through a yield sign and then just stopped right in front of us looking right at us, and we were down the road about 10 minutes and another car blew through another yield sign in the median and I mean they'll look right at you and not see you, and or they see you and think that they have a lot more time, because the size difference it's hard to tell something small like a motorcycle coming at you, it's kind of hard to judge the distance.
Speaker 2:And you know one way that I especially, you know, raise the kids. You know how you have the the slug bug game. Well, we didn't play that. I always taught the kids to to count the motorcycles, because when they got older, by god they uh they learned that they would see the motorcycles easier if they learned how to count them instead of the slug bugs yeah, that's a good point it's a that's a great game to play with your kids yeah, yeah, it is hey.
Speaker 1:So, ozzie, help me out here, because years ago I remember that Abate was really also an advocate for fighting against restrictions on motorcycles. Motorcycling, you know, promoting safety, training, of course, and supporting charity work, but also, you know, kind of taking on the role of advocating for the motorcyclists who you know have so many restrictions on them. Is that correct?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so like Iowa as an example, iowa is a no helmet law. Now a lot of people think that's stupid. We should have a helmet law. I'm. A lot of people think that's stupid. We should have a helmet law. I'm a firm believer that it's up to you right.
Speaker 3:I mean yes, we like to say that let the rider decide.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 3:You know, let those who ride decide. Yep, you know we don't advocate against riding with helmets, we just like to have the choice.
Speaker 1:Right and and Bobby and I and and Dr Domain and and Corey, we all wear helmets. So, um, you know we may be in a big group of bikers, um, you know some real bad asses and you know we still wear our helmets, cause we're pretty bad ass with our helmets on.
Speaker 2:Well, I will say, the majority of the time I wear my helmet. Of course I advocate that my children do not get on a motorcycle, including my youngest, without full gear and a helmet. But I'm going to be honest when I'm riding my bobber through town, if I'm not going on the highway, I don't always put a helmet on.
Speaker 1:You don't, bobby, because that's alarming to hear. I don't, I don't, that's a little alarming and I might have to have a sidebar conversation with you now because of that. So I wish you to kind of kept that to yourself. But now that I know and you've always said, oh, I'm 40 years old, but now that I know and you've always said, oh, I'm 40 years old, you can't really. You know the time has run out for you to come after me now.
Speaker 2:Okay, well, you still scare the hell out of me. So that's, that's off the charts.
Speaker 1:on that one. So, um Ozzie, some of the other things that you guys do. You have bike rallies.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the 4th of July weekend every year we have what we call the Freedom Rally in Algona, iowa, at what we call the Freedom Park. It's owned and ran by A-Bait of Iowa and it's this year will be the 41st annual Freedom Rally.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so we've been doing it for a long time. It's a pretty awesome rally. It's all on private property, we have big bands come. It's a three-day event, we have vendors.
Speaker 1:So there's some. You got to admit there's some crazy stuff that goes down at those rallies, right.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, yeah, there's some debauchery going on.
Speaker 2:That's why it's 18 and older. Only that's right.
Speaker 3:There may or may not be a lot of sex, drugs and rock and roll going on.
Speaker 1:There may or may not be, but that's why we have an age requirement of 18 and older. So I know that we were talking earlier. Dr domain and I were talking earlier and we want to know what's the most bizarre, if you can say it and you can describe it, what's the most bizarre thing you've ever seen at one of the rallies?
Speaker 3:oh, I don't know if it's the most bizarre, but I was walking through the beer barn and the beer barn is close to the main stage and there was a huge crowd around a big wire spool. They like they use big wooden spools that, you know, have wire on them. They use those as tables throughout the park and they used those as tables throughout the park and there was a female on top of one of these big wooden spools.
Speaker 1:I think I'm going to be sorry, I asked this now Okay go ahead.
Speaker 3:I wanted to see what everybody was crowded around this big wooden spool looking at, so I kind of made my push my way through the crowd and I made it up to the spool to witness a woman pleasuring herself with a very large dildo oh my gosh yeah, and, and she was making eye contact with.
Speaker 1:Now I need to know with the dildo, or with who? With you, with?
Speaker 3:who, uh, she was making eye contact with anybody that would look at oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:And you asked. Yeah, I did ask, and you know it takes all kinds right, I mean yes you know that's, but so, um, what do you think was the most horrifying thing that you've ever seen at one of the rallies?
Speaker 3:uh horrifying probably the same thing um, I don't know if I'd say that I've ever seen anything horrifying, maybe the weather okay, which would have been what last year, when you last year?
Speaker 1:was bad the whole campground was brought to the worst.
Speaker 3:That was horrible. My yeah, my particular campsite um and wait a minute.
Speaker 1:What's your campsite called? The land of oz oh man, I'm not even gonna ask why that's called the land of oz, but pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Speaker 3:Anyway, it may have something to do with my nickname, yeah, so so anyway, go ahead.
Speaker 1:I didn't mean to interrupt you.
Speaker 3:Well, we had some, we had quite a bit of rain and, uh, there is a a pretty good size Creek that runs through the, the, the park, and well, it came out of its banks and flooded us all out.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I remember it was really really bad yeah, and uh, there were a lot of people, man, that hung tough.
Speaker 3:Though those are some pretty rough riders right there, they hung there were some crazy people that did not leave and, uh, they just, they just hung out in the floodwaters yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, I just want to tell you thank you for joining us, um, we really do appreciate what abate does for the state of iowa, um, and for all the other states for that matter, and the charities that everybody is involved with. I know that you are on here talking about ABAIT. I know you are not a representative of ABAIT, but you are a club member, as am I, and as Bobby, you are also, yep.
Speaker 2:And you know we just I actually am. I'm actually a club member, Thanks to Ozzy Bob. Yeah, he paid for my first year of membership, wow.
Speaker 1:How'd she rank? I don't know. I never get any of that stuff. I never get anything free, but nevertheless it's okay. But anyway, I just want to thank you for coming on and talking to us. We really appreciate it and anything, any words of wisdom you want to leave us with.
Speaker 3:On on motorcycle safety oh um, just don't ride faster than your angel can fly oh, that's a, that's a great phrase right there.
Speaker 1:Well, uh, thank you so much. And, bobby, what do you think?
Speaker 2:I think that that is all the literal insanity that we have for today. We do appreciate not only Ozzy Bob, but everyone joining us here at the Rabbit Hole Studio and with you at the Rabbit Run Studio. Be sure to follow us because we look forward to spending time with you each and every week. Like us on your favorite podcast platform If you have any positive feedback for us, if there's a topic you want us to talk about, if you just want to say hi, you know, drop us a short email at boomerandgenxer at gmailcom, or you can head on over to our Facebook page, a Boomer and a Gen X, or walk into a bar the podcast official. And you know you can also leave comments on Apple podcast and Spotify and we can see those and actually reply to those. So that would be great. And if you have hate mail, well you know where you can put that. So until next week.
Speaker 1:I'm Bobby joy and I'm jane burt, and you're, and you're stuck with us. Peace out later.