VOTING ENDS JUNE 15TH

They need your vote to win.  Who will you choose?
The contestants are;
David Bardwell 
down on his luck after losing his job at a Chevrolet dealership and has been forced to sell his house and possessions to care for his family.
Kathy Redman After losing her husband to cancer all she wants to do is one day get his 81 Shovelhead back in running condition in his memory.
Judy Reed A 52 year old rider that desperately needs help fitting her bike to herself

VOTING ENDS TUESDAY JUNE 15TH, GET YOUR VOTE IN!  visit the homepage to place your vote!

Washing, Waxing & Treating Seats and Accessories

Most aftermarket seats are made of the highest quality vinyl and will retain their looks for years without any extra care. We know first hand since our own personal tour of the factory that Mustang seats can be washed with any mild, non-abrasive detergent and will last as long as you own your bike. For regular maintenance Mustang recommends Protect All™, a do-it-all type of cleaner that cleans, polishes, waxes, treats and protects every surface. Protect All™s water repellent Carnauba Wax Formula provides durable protection against all elements. The quality of carnauba wax, incorporated into the formula, is largely responsible for providing durable protection. Simply spray, wipe, and polish dry for a beautiful, durable, lasting shine.
Protect All’s™ anti-static property is ideal for treating vinyl to a clean, dry natural appearance. It leaves NO oily film to attract dust and dirt. With regular use, Protect All™s highly effective UV absorber additive helps to protect all surfaces by absorbing the UV light rays and blocking them from reaching the finish. Also this won’t leave you with a “Slippery” seat which can be dangerous.

Cuts, Scratches or Scuff Marks

As with any upholstered product (such as couches, chairs or car seats), there is a possibility of cutting or tearing the cover material. If you own a Mustang seat you can contact Mustang directly and one of the seats experts will provide you with the best possible advice about your particular situation. (Most local upholstery shops do a very good job of repairing vinyl.)
If your seat has been scratched or scuffed, try gently applying a small dab of black paste shoe polish on the affected area. Allow it to dry completely, then buff out with a clean soft cloth. If you have any questions, please contact Mustang and speak to one of the seat experts.

BEYONCE

It’s true. I’m Beyonce the real diva here at Animal Friends. And once you’ve met me, you’ll be crazy in love with this single lady!
The first thing you’ll notice about me is my gorgeous orange and white coat, but I’ve got other great attributes as well. I don’t sing, but I’m a good snuggler and love being with people. I lived with an elderly person in my old home so I’d be make a great companion for a single person or family. 
And not only is my adoption sponsored by one of my adoring fans, but I even come with love and a special handmade gift from the kids at Richland Elementary in Gibsonia. Thanks, Mrs. Yingling’s class! Come see me at Animal Friends!

Tips for Preventing the Theft of Your Bike, by GEICO

There are many ways to secure your motorcycle to prevent theft.
The best deterrent is to utilize more than one security measure; the more a thief has to defeat, the less potential for success.
Always keep the ignition locked.
Secure your motorcycle to a fixed, or anchored object, or another motorcycle.
Park in a secure and well-lit area. If in doubt, do not park there.
If your bike is not garaged, keep it covered; non-name brand covers are preferable to prevent advertising the type of bike that lies beneath.
Limit the amount of time your bike is left unattended, or unsupervised.
Vary your routes and routines to prevent being followed.
Use a high quality lock and chain. Secure the chain through the bike frame versus the wheels which can be easily removed.
Consider adding a motorcycle anti-theft, or security system.
Despite all of your precautions, if your bike is stolen contact the police and your Insurance provider immediately. Visit GEICO for a free Quote.

Share your Passion, by Laura Klock

Last summer was my first season as a RiderCoach and the first couple classes we held were unique in that the students were many of our employees from our shop, Klock Werks. And many of these new employees came to us with little or no experience on or around motorcycles. Actually, many had never even thought about riding a motorcycle at all. Our Media Relations and Event Coordinator, Melissa, is one of those people. She came to us from an entirely different industry, and really didn’t have “learn to ride a motorcycle” on her to-do list. So this story that I’d like to share today is one about trusting that if a new challenge is put in front of you, it must be for a reason, and also finding the courage to travel down any road.
I’ve traveled many roads in my own life. Some smooth paved highways, some really windy mountain passes, some full of potholes, and some that I just should not have been on at all. But the roads that we’ve traveled are what we can look back on to find the courage to travel down the next new road placed in front of us. So if you’re afraid to get on a motorcycle for the first time, look back on your life. There is surely a road you happened upon that was rough, but you survived it. Find courage from that experience, and try new things! Melissa figured why not? Might as well try it. It’s an opportunity in front of me. So try she did. And PASSED!
Well, the twist to this story is that Melissa travels with me when I go on speaking assignments doing my ANY ROAD presentation, and we had an American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Women’s Conference scheduled in August, in Colorado. Early last summer I began teasing her that we were going to RIDE out to it. She would say, no, I can’t do that, and I would say, yes you can! It became kind of a funny joke until next thing you know Melissa is sitting on a 2004 Harley Davidson Ultra with her clothes in the saddlebags, ready to take off on this new adventure! She took the class in June, and we were headed to Colorado in August. Ha!
We rode to Colorado and back! A 1700 mile adventure for a woman that had never even thought about riding a motorcycle just one year earlier. Now that is walking through a door of opportunity and not looking back! Go girl! The lessons learned out on the road are always things that you can use in life. Melissa learned some things on that trip, as did I. New challenges (who knew the wind could be so intimidating?), new fears (I sure don’t want to drop this big bike!), new excitement (I’m really doing it!), new thoughts (the view from the motorcycle is different than a car!). And you’ll never forget that special trip that marks a time when you tried something you had never even thought about trying. Sometimes that is where the biggest blessing lie – in doing something we didn’t have “planned”. So I encourage you….try new things. And whether you’ve thought about riding or not, it’s one weekend of your life, WHY NOT give it a try? It might be a blessing in disguise.
Don’t be afraid to go where the road leads you!


POOF

Poof! I’m like a magic trick. One day someone found me lying in the road near a clinic. Sad, right? But then, poof!, I’m here at Animal Friends. And boy, things have gotten a lot better for me.
I’m a warm and friendly little calico who will talk to you whenever you pick me up. But I’m just saying how much I enjoy it! I’m still getting used to play with toys and things; I’d rather just snuggle with you and have you scratch me behind the ears. Speaking of ears, you might notice that one of mine is a little lopsided or “cauliflowered,” as we say in the business. I think it gives me character!
I’m not sure how I feel about other cats yet – it might depend on them, or I may just not like them very much. I know that I like people and want to be around them, so how about it? Why not come by and say hello at Animal Friends?

Ride to Support the Animals!!!

What better event to ride to than Family Day; where pets & Kids come out to play!

Saturday June 12th 2010 at Renegade Harley Davidson

Bring your pets and your kids!! Alexandria Animal Shelter, B.A.R.K, the Humane society will be on hand hosting pet adoptions, Doggy Costume Contest will be from 1:30pm-2pm, Tricycle contests for kids 3yrs-7yrs on the Half Hour, Best decorated & trike racing (bring your tricked out tricycle and show your style. Then its off to the races).   Also be offering tips on pet training. and sporting a water slide for the kids, make sure to bring a towel!!!  There will be doggy pools for the 4 legged friends.  Face Painting and homemade dog treats provided by The Humane Society.  Sno-cones by Mano.

Live music will be performed by cypress city noon- 4pm. Food will consist of hot dogs, sausage dogs and more. Don’t miss this awesome family event!

Two Wheel Thunder Premiere’s tonight June 7th at 8pm

If you have ever been curious as to how all those great riding boots by HD Footwear are made, you have to check out the premiere show of Two Wheel Thunder tonight on Discovery Network’s HD theater.  Jay Barbieri the host of the show will follow the production line from start to finish and try out one of the most popular styles of HD Footwear’s riding boots.  Don’t miss it!


Living the American Nightmare

Ever get jealous thinking those awesome musicians you worship are “living the life”  think again.  For most hard core dark metal bands that couldn’t be farther from the reality.  Film Maker Pawl Bazile is wrapping up “Living the American Nightmare” a “ROCK”umentary that takes you on a hell ride into the lives of these artists, who struggle in the underground music industry. These guys have sacrificed immeasurably for their art only to end up as starving artists. The irony is, these bands, these musicians are world known, you can buy their music at any mall or online store and yet they are struggling to keep their art alive.  Working 40-hour blue-collar jobs, to keep a steady income because playing out and performing is actually putting them further into financial hardships.
The cast includes  A-list musicians from bands like, the Misfits, Type O Negative, Black Sabbath, Bouncing Souls, Mister Monster, Overkill, Danzig, Son Of Sam, Life Of Agony and many more.
To follow the journey and to be informed of “Living the American Nightmare” please visit http://www.livingtheamericannightmarethemovie.com/ or check them out on FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Living-the-American-Nightmare/108951772481461?ref=ts

DYLON

I’m a buff colored male domestic short hair, and I’m about 2 years old. I came to Animal Friends because my former owner had too many cats in her home. There were large dogs in the home, but if I have a choice, I’d prefer that my new home not have dogs. When I came here they asked me if I wanted to go to a home with children? Not knowing what children are, I could not answer them. If you have children, we can talk about that.

I don’t mind being picked up, but I’m not at all sure I want to be held for long periods of time. I do, however, like to play, and at my young age, I have plenty of play-energy!

How about getting together in one of those little rooms across the hall and we’ll see how we get along? I just may be the perfect cat for you, but we’ll never know until we try. And I’m not the one who has to start things by filling out the application. Please come see me at Animal Friends!