Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126242
our pictures a ll o~er the pl a ce because once you [the media] do that then we won't be able to go riding where we want, when we want anymore without being hassled, "You know what is really nice?" Gloria continued. "We were in Florida on Labor Day and someone noticed our license plates and asked where in Georgia we were from. I said Plains and they asked if we knew Jimmy Carter. I said yes and they thought that was pretty neat . That was all there was to it. " O n election night when Jimmy began to appear the winner we got calls from our riding friends asking if we were still going to be going to . Daytona. Later we got a call from our friends .in Florida wanting to know the same thing . To those people we're just plain Walter and Gloria and we'd really like to keep it that way ." ••• Because of the press , media , and more press now surrounding the presidentelec t and his family, and because Gloria Carter Spann didn't know me from Adam (a ltho ugh she did know of the paper and Walter does subscribe to Easyrider), she had ca lled the presidential press secretary and told his assistant of the impending visit. The mere mention of the words motorcycle and motorcycle press to the guy probably set off an alarm . He boldly formulated a p lan (my opinion) of the-less-you -say-the-better-off-you are - and - don't - answer - any - questions-with-specifics. It was understandable . The period between now and the January 20 inauguration is strictly transitional and no one has any authority to make statements which might be construed as policy. "One thing I can say," Gloria continued, "is that I have been assured by the press secretary that I will be m ade aware of the appointments to certain legislative positions in which I am interested and that I will be able to make my views known to those people. " I think that Jimmy's administration will be a good one and that motorcycle legislation will be handled with an eye toward the rider and his freedom rather than left in the hands of those not familiar with motorcycling, I believe t hat t h ere wi ll be m or e - direction toward a rider's rights rather than legislation for the sake of legislation. " It 's rather absurd to think tha t even as his sister I could further the cause of motorcycles and helmet legislation with Jimmy. The job of being president is so monumental that there will be a million other things he should be thinking a bout. He is, however, well aware of the AMA and ABATE from our conversations." One more point in the motorcyclist's favor is -th a t Jack Watson , the head of the transition committee and chief Carter head -hunter (responsi b le for finding capable people to fill administration posts) is an avid road rider (BMW) and Gloria's good friend. He is well aware of her views. In the course of the conversation other people were mentioned who might be Carter appointees and are bikers. Also brought up was the fact that although president-elect Carter is not a rider, his three sons are, as well as vice president-elect W a lte r Mo nda le's son . In all there will be more two -wheel power around the W hite H ouse th a n ever before. T hat it will be pu t to use still remains to be see n , b ut the ch a nces a re good. Ce rt ai n ly on e helluva lot better than ever before. ••• Some people wear colors because th ey belong ; some because they want to bel ong and some for other reasons. Gloria has a set and the reasoning behind them is quite interesting. As she te lls it they ca me about one' day~ ' . ·. IIII1 after a conversation with a park adm inistrator . T he park was posted with signs stating "no motorcycles allowed ." She was assured that the signs didn't mean riders like Walter and herself, just "those other riders ." Not one to take an incident lightly where she feels the rights of riders have been infringed upon , Gloria fixed herself up a set of colors and rod e through the park. Later the signs were removed. IIII1 ~. I1 Car-C:er F·se A"A#••• Discrimination against motorcycle riders, not only by the helmet laws , but by campgrounds that will not admit bikers and other such instances irk her quiet demeanor. Daytona Speedway also comes under fire from Gloria for establishing the infield " p a r k i n g" fee charged for motorcyclist's bikes and an incident a few years back where Speedway officials came through what was then known as the free campground and made those camped there buy a grandstand ticket. Walter and Gloria wouldn't miss Daytona on a bet , but you 'll neve r see them at the track. would like to take this time and opportunity to than k 'a ll the numerous people who have helped me t hroughout the 1976 racing season. Fairfield Cycle Center • •• We head outside and click off a couple of pictures while the rain continues steady and relentless. Afterward we cross the lawn toward the barn and the shed where Gloria and Walter keep their bikes. Walter raises the makeshift door unveiling three bikes. One is in retirement , but the other two are ready to roll. Gloria's bike is an orange Honda 500 decorated with butterflies on the tank , chrome dammit bars and a sissy bar with a peace symbol. The peace symbol led to her being called a "d a m ned commie" by some friendly anti-biker once. Walter proudly displays his orange Harley 74 which has a solo saddle , (" I like riding my own bike, " said Gloria. "T he trouble is that you see very few women who do ride.") , a radio and sadd leb ags "which are good for a couple of six packs ." " I' ve got another bike in the barn if you 'd like to look at it ," said Walter . He led the way into the barn past a gentleman so in tent in his work on an inner tube for what appeared to be a tractor that he hardly looked up . "I got th e bike (a Ka wasaki Zl ) fro m a friend who had an engine kit put in it when he was out in Ca lifornia. She's so powerful that she wants to spit you off when you get on the gas even easy . It 'll smoke the rear tire with no problem and will really fly. " Kicked over , the bike let out a scream like a banshee from the unbaffled exhaust and the tach needle flew to 10,000 rpm again and again . It was easy to see that Walter liked the hell out of that bike and the knowledge that it would blow anything in Plains in the weeds. Still, he was camera sh y. " Nope , no pictures." Later on , back inside while engaged in conversation, Gloria (again Walter said no) consented to ' a few more pictures while she sat on the couch near the fire with her dogs on eit her side. Suddenly she spied m y glass of Coke. "I' ve got to put that glass on the floor . Some folks might th ink I've taken to drinking bourbon and Coke or something like that and that's not true because I don't like liquor (pause) but I do like Schlit z." Now I'd bet a few people in Plains might thinkit strange that a co uple in their forties wou ld ta ke up bike rid ing just for the fun of it and ride whenever and wherever they can. They might even be called eccentric. The thought d id n 't bo ther Walter. "Eccentric? I don 't know. I guess some people might think that around here . Hell, that's their pro blem . We're enjoying life . Isn 't that what it's all about?" Righ t on, Walter. • I1 .F a i r f i e l d , Calif. Len Nelson/Wester Scooter Michelin Tire Co. Motorsport/Stockton, Calif. 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