Picto Diary - 28 July 2018 - Billings Hill Climb Day 2
Above: Motorcycle hill climber ascends. Great American Pro Hill Climb. Billings, MT. 28 July 2019
Rider has momentum, upright, on the "cliff." If he makes it over, he'll have to make a left veer without losing momentum, then climb the rest of the way to the top. My guesstimate is that one in ten aspirants make it to the top.
Markco and Mwah (sic) returned to our second day at the Hill Climb wondering whether it could be continued considering the drenching the venue received yesterday evening. We wore our FRAZIER pit crew yellow T-shirts to affirm our solidarity with our leader, Dr. G.
Locals told us last night not to worry. There was something about the hill surface that enabled it to dry out quickly. They were right. Markco and Mwah (sic) arrived at noon the day following the storm and both the pro hill and the 2nd tier hill were dry and being used.
Dr. G had obligations in New Mexico, so he couldn't stay to take a postponed turn on the hill climb with his antique Indian.
Yesterday, Dr. G started the Indian twice, and rode it, to wide acclaim and admiration, around the pits area. He received a trophy for his participation at the ride, notwithstanding being rained out of his run up the hill.
The Billings Motorcycle Club has been in existence from 1914. They own 1500 acres near the Yellowstone River, where there are motocross and racing flat track tracks in addition to multiple hill climb options.
Check out the above site and you'll find lots of motorcycle related stuff... races and competitions ... above and beyond their celebrated hill climb.
Members have access to the club owned land to ply their dirt biking skills. Available BLM land adjacent, doubles the size of the play ground for members to use.
People attending or participating in this event fit, broadly, a certain profile. I don't mean to typecast. There are many exceptions to every "rule." But broadly, participants/supporters in the hill climb have jobs - or seek them, raise families and play by the rules. Many are god fearing. Most are generous and friendly in their interaction with one another and even with strangers. A "stranger" betrays them, of course, and that stranger better get away fast. They value bravery and disparage cowardice. They are Trump voters. Hillary Clinton called them deplorables. Obama calls them bitter clingers.... who outsiders, and cling desperately to their Bibles and guns... a mischaracterization of the first order, by the way.
You don't see much in mainstream cultural communication about motorcycling in any of its guises... dirt riding, road racing, touring etc... as a hobby. The activity happens mainly outside of populous coastal areas (there is a robust sport bike culture in coastal California) where main stream cultural signals decrying gas burning fun are emitted. Besides who wants to hear about people who believe in god, play by the rules, and own guns anyway. It behooves the mainstream, socialist, left in America, to ignore deplorables. They don't fit the paradigm of their quiescent, helicoptered, emasculated zombie nirvana. So it's no wonder you don't see the hill climb crowd at the top of the left defined American cultural pyramid.
Not all motorcyclists are deplorables. The Harley Davidson cruiser culture has managed to capture a good number of doctor, lawyer and corporate types a majority of which tend not be Trump supporters. The left coast has a number of sport bikers who, oriented towards racing and fast riding, ride in the European style on performance motorcycles wearing leathers and other protective clothing. Some of these American euro style riders may be deplorables... most are not, but, neither are they elitists who decry deplorable culture. Its dangerous to typecast anyone into the above boxes.... as I said above, there are many exceptions to any purported rule. Motorcyclists I've met come from a broad spectrum of backgrounds... deplorable and elite. Happily, most motorcyclists, whatever their "culture," tend to easily bridge any cultural gaps with their shared love of motorcycling and motorcycles.
Deplorables are usually gun owners. Most are self starters. Many live by their wits, not participating in the mainstream corporate world. Deplorables have an entrepreneurial bent. Those that do move on in the "mainstream" world often use an engineering degree as their platform to achieve. Success, however, does not de-link them from their traditional roots. They keep their political views to themselves in the mainstream Kultursmog.
Deplorables work on your cars, fix your washing machine, dry wall your kitchen and install your sink. When the shit hits the fan, they will control the world... they will be your boss... because they are the only people around who know how to work effectively with their hands to get stuff done.
Over the last 25 years, as the globalist elites of Washington have tilted trade agreements to favor foreign workers and disadvantage working stiffs (deplorables). That's why they voted, en masse, for a candidate, Donald Trump, who seemed, alone in the Washington firmament, to understand their plight.
Meanwhile, now that Trump sourced energy has been injected into the economy which benefits deplorable culture, and ignoring ongoing American cultural drama, the hill climbers are having more fun than ever.... silently, subliminally, awaiting their guaranteed destiny to clean up the messes made by the politicians, financiers, and professional rabble rousers.
Above: Bishop, Markco, Deadhorse, and Rollie in ATV. Great American Motorcycle Pro Hill Climb. Billings, MT. 28 July 2018.
Impressed with the second day attendance of three members of the distinguished members of the INDIAN ON THE INDIAN Pit Team, Rollie, of the Billings Motorcycle Club, invited us to see the, otherwise verboten to the public, "top 'o the hill." We went the easy way: with Rollie in his ATV.
Above: Airborne, rider nears top of the hill climb. Great American Pro Hill Climb. Billings, MT. 28 July
Above: Team Frazier, supporting the INDIAN ON THE INDIAN, poses with the award given to Dr. G for his participation, yesterday, in the 100th Anniversary Great American Hill Climb.
Bishop, Deadhorse and Markco. — at Billings Motorcycle Hillclimb.
Above: Jakes Steakhouse. Billings, MT. 28 July 2018.
Why go anywhere else in Billings when this place is so good?
Addendum:
Banker Steve:
As always, I'm humbled by your reportage and references. I'm not impressed with myself (ego knocked out of me years ago), and don't judge myself on "Likes" or hits on my cyber postings, but your accolades get me to stand up straighter, lick my economic and physical wounds and look forward with a positive attitude towards my next adventure.
If the lion hearted 1936 Indian Sport Scout (with all its 18-20 horsepower) does not find a new home by July, 2019, I may make another run at the Hill in the 101st Billings Hill Climb. This 2018 event was my first hill climb, and the monkey gland juice (adrenaline) in my system up to the Start was nothing like when the Indian and I road raced, flat tracked and climbed the Pikes Peak mountain. It was a great adventure. The fun you and "Porta Potty" (Mark) brought as members of my pit crew was 100% pure icing on the day's cake.
Regards,
Dr. G, Chief of the World Adventure Affairs Desk, CITY BIKE Magazine
Author, moto-journalist, adventurer and occasional motorcycle wastrel