The Waymore
Interview

Oh man, you don't want to hear about me. I'll tell you about Bandera, Texas, and I'll tell you about Thunder, and I can tell you about Rumble on the River, and I can tell you about Bandera, Texas, but I'm a little boring. Y'all don't wanna hear about me. Um, so I'll give you a quick little bio. I spent uh 24 years working for Anheuser-Busch and 17 of those we also worked the bike rallies.

Sorry. I move fast. So this great opportunity came up, and a good brother of mine, a good partner of mine. We went in together. It was a big deal for us. For our people that cared. But after we all talked about it and pitched in. We purchased the Bandera Rallies and we've been going ever since.

Oh man, uh, to be honest with you. When you're kind of out in the public it’s just way more man.

For real.

Well, I tell you I've always enjoyed the biker community. A lot of people misunderstand the community. I’m not going to try to define what Society says. Or believes about our community.

Great people with great hearts. They look out after each other. Nobody judges anybody for whatever their taste may be in life.

So something I was, I was drawn to, my uncle passed away and I ended up with his Harley Davidson. Long story. I miss him to this day. So I started riding and from there I was getting a tattoo and I saw a Harley Fat Boy for sale and I decided to buy it.

I’ve been riding ever since.

I don’t like to show my strength. But my wife and my family are my strength. I actually started out with a vendor business where we were traveling, location to location here in the state of Texas and well all over the country really, doing bike rallies and vending and stuff like that and from some of the good people I met. We started hosting events and I started doing a little MC it and they just took off from there.

Completely spontaneous. That's how you know it was supposed to happen.

Oh, so you know what I'm talking about.

Oh wow. So, so yeah, wow. There is some great food at the rally! SO GOOD.

We really like kicking food and other entertainment/comfort ideas around and coming up with new stuff to try and trying to make everything better for everybody at the events and, you know, and keep everybody on 2 wheels and keep everybody happy.

Inspiration is key.

Well, I tell you I didn't actually choose the area because it was owned by a previous person before me, but if you've ever been too…

Bandera, you would know why.

It only takes one trip to Bandera and then it's like a Stephen King movie. It just sucks you back in. You don't want to leave.

Trippy.

Well, man, I’ll tell you, it's not just me. There's a whole team of us and I would name everybody, but we've run out of time.

They stopped reading. Man people. Read on.

Let’s continue. Like the riders are still scrolling.

Well. Where were we. It’s uh, it's the entire town. It's all the people we meet from, we actually draw people in from, uh, all over the country, and actually other countries as well, we've had up more countries visit us at one of our rallies than I can even count! It is truly an international festival. Think angry Scottish with Viking poetry. Weird dudes. Too much drums. Uh, last year we had over 30 states represented, and it's just meeting different people with different cultures, different tastes, and just the people.

Oh, I appreciate that.

Well, I'm going to be honest with you on that, man, and you'll understand this with the business you're in. I going to have to plead the 5th on that one. I will tell you though. We respect each other and we always believe tomorrow is tomorrow.

Truth. We certainly do. We certainly do, but it's always a good time, and I'll be honest with you about something outside of just one particular event or one particular thing we've seen, is the love of the people that do this, and the camaraderie and the brother and the sisterhood, and I've seen people. I’ve seen people reach out. Not even knowing someone. And helping them in their time of need when they really need it.

Had to get your plug in?

O.k.

Okay.

I'll be honest with you, man. I'm gonna stay out of that.

We get both up here and I got friends that ride or die both and, hey, if, uh, I will put it this way. If you got the balls to ride some of the, the way that some of the way the rockets ride? You got my respect. And if you just like to kick back and cruise, then I respect the same thing too.

Oh yeah.

Oh wow.

Right. Motorcycle Man: You know, I enjoyed both kinds of bikes. I enjoy both of them, but, you know, a true Harley Ryder, that's out there every day. They'll admit if they're honest, everybody's rode a rocket man their dedication to efficiency and top line speed man.

Oh. I know.

Yeah the top line speed.

I still have my Uncle’s Harley that I inherited.

Ha! I would but we're actually, this is our setup week, so we will be up here. Actually, I've been here about the last 6 weeks on and off really trying to make everything perfect for the riders.

About 15 minutes.

Okay. Yeah, cool man.

Well man, I'll be honest with you. I prefer the classics because I've reached a point in my life where I'm a classic!

And, it's just something about. Ah, man, the way the classics look, the way they ride. To me, there's really no comparison, and I know a lot of things are changing because the younger generation, they want different stuff, but it always comes back to the classics.

Nobody's going to be riding an electric bike 50 years from now thinking about man. I remember when I had one of these e-bikes when I was a kid, but they're going to remember that fat boy or that sportster or their crotch rocket.

And I don't think the Terminator would look quite as cool. You know, on his little electric bike chasing Sarah Connor through L.A.

Oh yeah? Well, T2 rode that classic police bike. Had to melt that guy!

Arnold’s eye flickering. Rough.

Well, man, I'll be honest with you. We celebrate twice a year. We do Rumble in the fall, which is coming up this weekend. And then we do Thunder in March, and Thunder's our bigger event. It's considerably larger, and it's an extra day too, so there's a little bit more logistically involved in that. But we have such a good team that works with us that we have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves with the crowd. Unless it's something off the wall. We run smooth. My partner and we got our crew at the park. They're setting everything up and we're not even concerned about what they're doing because we know it's gonna be done. Some of the guys have been with us. Uh, well, someone's been with us in childhood because they grew up in my house. And uh, and some of them have been with us for 10 to15 years. The ladies that work our gate. They've been there for probably 10 or 15 years. Which is unheard of in this business that you keep people.

Probably. Though I try to stay out of things. I hate getting involved and screwing up a good thing that people had going on. And we try to make sure that everyone is taken care of and they make sure that we're taken care of and it, it runs very smoothly. And too, Bandera is very welcoming, they, they appreciate us being here. They don't give us a hard time. don't give, we make sure all their rules are followed and we work in sync and it's for the best for everybody.

Oh yeah, if it wasn't for my children, my grandchildren, and my mother, I probably wouldn't leave!

Freedom.

Freedom and brotherhood. And the ancestors are for the ladies out there. I mean, there's a respect that everyone shares. You live your life. I'm going to live mine. You don't interfere with mine. I'm not going to interfere with yours. Let's love to ride, get some wind therapy, and it's just a different feel, and most, not all, but most of your bikers are on the same mind path of, life, and I think all of us kind of miss some of the old days, when there was a little bit more respect for people. A little bit more respect for your time, a little bit more respect for your families. Nowadays because of the hustle and bustle.

You know?

Can’t wait to hear it brother! Gabby said you had some radio time on the local stations.

Safe is good.

May it be so.

Man, I… I would say that we definitely have a collective mindset. Everybody's free to have their own religious political beliefs, sexual orientation. Unless you're trying to shove it down somebody's throat. I don't think the Viking community really, that's your beliefs. Hey man, I respect that.

I'm not going to disagree with that. Long live the Republic.. You don't try to change mine. I won’t try to change yours.

And, and move on with life. Because, I mean, what it really comes down to it. If everybody agreed, the world would be really boring. And maybe we could maybe we could use a little less excitement and maybe some cheaper than $6 gallon diesel right now, but the whole point is that’s what America's about, having your own opinion and being able to express it, you know, but that doesn't mean that everyone else has to accept your opinion.

No problem brother, no problem.

Well, I'm gonna be honest with you. Uh, I'm not the person to ask that question too, because I don't follow politics enough to give you a good answer. I can give you my opinion. Personally, whether it was Donald Trump or anyone else. There's a lot of right leaning political beliefs that I agree with that I grew up with. That's why I would go that direction, but at the same time, if there was somebody from the left that followed the same philosophy, half the people can’t be wrong about everything. Right? So I mean, I'm not strong either way on that. It's, it's, it's, the party belief that's gonna move me, not what one man's doing, what he’s saying.

Yeah, it's, I mean it. Hey man, you do you and I'm gonna do me and if somebody wants to take on America I know you and I are going to be in the same foxhole feeding that M-60. I support the president. I always support the president. I support the country. I always support the country. I wish people took a longer view. But it’s hard these days man. With all the media. That’s one reason I’m out here. To get away from all that fuzz.

Right. Turn that off. Look around you and see what is real. What is now.

Okay.

Well, number one would be deer. Because we have a very large abundance of deer and most people that come up here a lot, they realize that you have to watch out for the deer.

They are not a problem during the day. They come out at dawn and dusk especially. So be extra careful if you are riding at dusk or dawn. They also forage at night. Turn on your high beams!

That’s funny. Number 2 safety risk would probably be the people in cages that aren't aware of how difficult it is for a motorcycle to stop or swerve out of your way or, what happens if you just decide to get on your phone and stop dead in the middle of a lane and, I understand a lot of people don't understand a motorcycle is not a car. I've had people suggest to me they should have seatbelts on motorcycles and I don't think they know how they'll work.

Number 3 is inexperienced riders trying to take on rides that they probably should slow down on or go with an experienced rider. We actually offer 2 guided rides through the sisters, both ways. We lead a guided ride on Friday, and we lead a guided ride on Saturday. It’s great. I highly recommend. We have 6 road captains. We have a leader. They take it easy. There's no drinking. Nothing like that. Everybody sticks together and they just enjoy the day.

The guides are great. Please join the guided rides if you are a learner or you just want to meet some great people.

Oh yeah, yeah, you know. Well man. They come back the next day they go the opposite direction, and we have other rides too. We have the Trest Diabolos that we're doing the roads are a little bit. Same beautiful. Diablos.

Scenery. Roads are a little bit more stable. There's twists and turns, but it's not like the sisters have got some hair pin curves. This more of a pleasant ride. And you don't have to be quite as vigilant on those, and then we have several different runs. I'll send you the maps.

Well, man, thank you. I tell you, it’s perfect. Designed by bikers for bikers. It's something me and my partner “Mark, after dark” over here sitting next to me, we've always talked about doing, the opportunity was there. Our other partners from here in Bandera, JJ and Victoria. They found the location. I think the actual building is probably well over a 100 years old, wouldn't you say? Yeah, and uh, it's a very unique place. And when you get out here, you got to go check it out.

Oh yeah. $500 will buy some beer. All right. well man I'll be out and have a drink with you for sure. The bar is right off of FM 470 west, right at Tarpley, Texas. Right off one of the spurs of the sisters, man, you'd hit FM 470. You go hit the sisters. It's right on the Trace Diabolos ride. We got food. We got drinks. We got good times. We got a beautiful stage in the back, our backyard courtyard. It's still being little touches done here and there, but it's a beautiful spot, especially at night, man. You wouldn't believe the moonlight and it just, you're going to have to see it on your own. In fact…

Anybody that's reading this, you're going to have to see the bar to understand what I'm saying. We offer a variety of music for everything from country to outlaw country to rock, southern rock. A little bit of newer stuff, because there are younger people in the world, and it's not about what we like. It's about what y'all like. And uh, it, it, it, it's gonna be a wonderful place, man. We're still in the baby steps. Our actual, actual hard grand opening. is going to be Halloween night. Gonna be a hell of a party. If you're out this way, you're gonna want to be there. Halloween Night!

And everybody is welcome when you ride up on a horse, which isn't unusual here, or if you ride up on your bike or you pull up in your Porsche 911 or you're a classic muscle car or whatever, you're all welcome. I guarantee you'll have a good time and if you don't, let me know and I'll make sure that gets changed for you.

Save your best for last.

Just be yourself, man. I've never been around much trouble. I'm being honest. I’ve been organizing rallies for 20+ years. I've been to 100s of events and I've met 1000s of people and I've never had a bad experience. Just being yourself and being respectful. But if you're going to be a douche, you're going to get squeezed.

The people here in Bandera are very welcoming. They appreciate us coming here. We appreciate them letting us come here, and if a situation comes up, unless the local is actually at fault, we will side with the locals, because people get a little bit too much strength in, oh, yeah, one thing leads to another, and some people can't handle that, and, nobody has ever been disrespectful, or had an issue that I know of in Bandera between the locals and the riders.

That's been 20 years, 25 years, by the way,

Well, I tell you what, man. I'll put it this way. I tell you, once you get up here, you're not going to want to leave.