Photos by Ricky J. Carrasco
On August 21, 2011, the Mad Hatters MC hosted “Alex’s 2nd Annual Ride to Recovery. The proceeds from the run were donated to the New Life Restoration Center, a Christian based facility that helps recovering drug addicts. 2 years ago, Robert “Pit Bull” Alvarez and his wife, Sandy, lost their son, Alex, to a drug overdose at only 25 years old on September 6, 2011. 8 months later, Alex’s girlfriend, Erica, gave birth to their daughter Alejandra, named after her father. Only 3 months later, Erica also lost her life to a drug overdose.
“Alex’s Memorial Foundation” was established to raise money to benefit non-profit drug recovery centers. If you would like to help, contact Robert Alvarez or ask any Mad Hatter.
(Thank you to Sandy Raudry for providing the information for this story)
Category Lifestyles |
Story and photos by: Ricky J. Carrasco
On July 30th, the Combat Vets Motorcycle Association held a golf tournament to raise money for local area homeless veterans. “Tigerazo,” a unit leader, stated that CVMA would like to help the vets coming through in the local homeless shelters. “They (homeless vets) need help. We would like to help get them new bedrolls, tents, sleeping bags, clothes, etc.”
Tigerazo states that, during Christmas, he found many vets at the homeless shelter and saw a need. “I would like to do a swap. ‘Give me your bedroll and I’ll give you a new one.’ The problem is that from place they camp out, their stuff can carry bedbugs, which carry MRSA, a flesh-eating bacteria. They wouldn’t know that they’re carrying it until it’s too late.”
The CVMA understands that many homeless veterans, after many years on the road, and having been trained in survival skills, prefer living independent and outside. “My idea is to get them the tools they need to survive on their own. I would like to get them the military grade stuff, like army bedrolls and entrenching tools. Military grade equipment is tough enough to be used day in and day out.”
Tigerazo says that in order to help a minimum of 20 homeless Vets would require between $2500 to $3000 to get the necessary supplies. Other needs include underwear and male/female toiletries, and combs. “Edge Kawasaki is a sponsor and we’re the beneficiaries. We are hoping that there will be other such functions annually.”
Stephanie Sanchez, office manager at Edge and director of the tourney, stated that they were happy and proud to sponsor the tournament. Sergio, owner of Edge, is a disabled vet himself. “We wanted to give back to the community that has supported us for so long. A large chunk of our business comes from Fort Bliss. We are looking forward to a continuing relationship with the CVMA.”
Category Lifestyles |
- Linda Patterson enjoying the view at Tom Lea Park, close to completing her 14 day solo tour.
Story and photos by: Ricky Jimenez Carrasco
To get things out of the way, my first questions to Linda Patterson were blunt: What got you here? Why do you personally have to make this trip? After a few concerned seconds, Linda understood what I was asking. And then, after a deep breath, “You have to understand that it’s been 13 years since the date of my last drink, since my last drug. At the worst point in my life, my 10 year old was suicidal. My 2 sons had been arrested. My 17 year old daughter was pregnant. My husband had barricaded himself in his room with an AK-47. I was lost. I just remember asking, ‘God help me.’ Then, I simply surrendered. I stopped trying to rebuild the house of cards that was my life.”
I had been scheduled to meet Linda earlier that day, but as luck would have it, we completely missed each other. When I was finally able to find her, she offered to meet at the hotel. I thought it would be better to have her interview outside, instead of cooped up. But how was I supposed to ask a person who had scheduled about 500 miles a day for the last two weeks to go for a ride? When I told her that I wanted to photograph her somewhere scenic, but clear across the city, she jumped at the opportunity to ride. I finally started the interview after taking some photographs of her and her bike “Dragonslayer,” her beloved Screaming Eagle Fat Boy, at Tom Lea Park overlooking the city.
I asked her, from her low point, how did she get to be here, at the tail end of a cross country solo tour to raise money for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Milwaukee and to bring attention to abused and battered women? “Various persons were put into my life that taught me how to live. They taught me how to be a good person, a good mother, and a good employee. My boss at EZ Storage has been very influential to me. He has been very supportive of me, of my life, and even this trip! I am very thankful that after having been through so much with me, he now trusts me to run his company. I run 9 locations and manage 30 employees. And that’s without a college degree!”
“My life is…better, now.” At various times, Linda is exuberant, like someone who has just crossed the finish line in a race. Other times, she is reserved. I got the impression that she is proud of her accomplishment, but she doesn’t want to seem prideful, even though it’s completely merited. “My 10 year old? She is now a 24 year old graduate.” She beams a smile that could light up a room. “My boys are improving. My daughter now has a beautiful family of 3. They’re just wonderful.”
Linda now mentors abused women in California’s San Fernando Valley and is a motivational speaker telling her story across the country, hoping to inspire others to change their lives. Knowing that, I asked her what change she has seen in herself just in this ride. She gets ready to answer, then gets an amazed look on her face. “I knew I had to be tougher, stronger for this ride. I knew it was just going to be me, alone, on the road. If something went wrong along the way, I’d be a thousand miles from home.” She looked at me as if I had the answer, but she found it on her own. “But you know what? I think I just came to the realization that I had to be softer.” She looked around trying to understand her own answer. “I had to be softer because I had to allow myself to be vulnerable. I had to allow myself to be helped. I had to allow myself to ask others for that help. I knew that my online blog would be read and that it would help people. But a big part is about people helping me.”
Linda was amazed at the epiphany because she devotes so much of her time to helping other people. In helping others, she has found, she is still helping herself. “Throwing a pebble into the pond, it’s not about the pebble, it’s about the ripples. If you’re lucky, you get to see the ripples.” I asked her to explain one of those ripples. She looked over the city and almost looked teary eyed. She took a long moment to answer. “Michelle. Michelle is a lady I mentored not too long ago. She was married to a gangster. There was bad domestic abuse there.” She took another moment. I don’t know whether it was to remember Michelle’s abuse or maybe her own. Linda then got another big smile, “Now, Michelle works as a shoe designer for a large company. She spends her time flying all over the country. She probably travels more than I do!”
Bikers use their time in the saddle for meditation and for introspection. It was apparent that Linda had had practice because she would occasionally take moments to look over the city. There was a storm rolling in from the east. It was well over 50 miles away, but from Rim Road, we could see the lightning clearly. She called it a natural fireworks display. She continued unprompted and not really looking at me until the end, “When I started this, I think I just wanted to see what would happen. I had a guy write to me, Ernie, who is fighting cancer. He read my blog and told me that he had given up his fight. Then, he read my article and he went back to the doctors and told them ‘Let’s fight this.’” She looks at me almost baffled. “From my story!? It is exciting to see these ripples, to see these people, to see this sunset. To see all THIS!”
To me, the El Paso landscape can seem mundane. Linda, I’d like to believe, was not just referring to our desert corner of the world, but to the fact that she was able to progress to get to this point where she can travel as she wishes. She is no longer someone’s wife to hit, but an independent person who wants to live and learn. “Journey to Change’ is not over. I don’t know that I would want to have another 7000 mile trip over the Interstate. I will do something. I have my family to take care of, my ladies that I mentor, and me.”
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“Dragonslayer” broke down while in El Paso. Her run to Rim Road was her last of the official Journey. Since her bike was not able to be fixed on time, the Barnetts lent her a new bagged Fat Boy that she dubbed “Blue Bird” on which Linda finished her ride to San Fernando on August 2nd. Linda Patterson would like thank all the people that helped her along the way, especially all the Harley Davidson dealerships that supported her. If you would like to learn more about Linda, go to www.journeytochange.me
Category Lifestyles |
