Free soul
Tavern owners smiled when they rode into
town last weekend; proprietors of more
delicate businesses winced. Ken Kesey put
them between the Shriners and the bagpipe
players. They partied, raced slugs and
generally enjoyed the Rhododendron Fes
tival.
FLORENCE - The bikers
looked somehow out of place
parading down main street,
sandwiched between the
Shriners and the 30-member
Florence bagpipe team.
But the Free Souls didn’t
seem to notice. They idied their
Harleys past the cheering
crowd, flashing an occasional
grimace and looking like the
offspring of Clint Eastwood and
Bigfoot.
No one remembers exactly
how a killer bike team and a
flower festival first came
together. But for the last 10
years the Eugene Free Souls
have opened their biking
season with a pilgrimage to the
Florence Rhododendron Fes
tival
"We come to watch the
parade,” explains Free Souls
Vice president Marv (Free Souls
don't use last names).
• The bikers are an institu
tion,” explained a Florence
booster club member “They
make the festival.”
*
Yet. though the b*kers have
become more a part of the fes
tival than rhododendrons,
downtown businesses have
either tried to ignore the bikers
or remove them from town
Bikers dump between
S6-S3 000 a year into Florence s
1
GRAD STUDENTS...
AFTER YOU’VE SPENT MONTHS
ON YOUR GRADUATE THESIS,
KEEP THE QUALITY WHEN
YOU PUBLISH
The professionals at Eugene Print reproduce
theses and dissertations to meet the exact speci
fications of the Graduate School.
Make sure your publication meets Graduate
School requirements Talk with our experienced
staff today.
We have the answers you need.
xSfr EUGENE PRINT
PHONE 484-2601
economy, but some businesses,
like knick knack shops, do not
draw biker trade.
•They do scare away
business," observed the owner
of Paint Patch, who said she
doesn’t want motorcycle gang
business "They just disgust me
with the things they do out
there The taverns do great
business, but everyone else is
out in the cold "
No one. however, can
remember the bikers breaking a
law This year Ken Kesey,
master of ceremonies for the
parade, decided the bikers
deserved formal recognition
He gave them a place in the
parade for the first time and
even arranged for "best bike,
•oldest bike" and "rattiest
bike" awards
As a result, more bikers
roared into town Friday than
ever; their stabled machines
filled an entire street for three
days They walked the Florence
streets wearing tatoos instead
of clothes, motorcycle chains
for belts, nazi insignias and
small blonde women
The Free Souls officially con
done a philosophy of rampage
They are the type of men who,
given the choice between
silence and speech, will hit
something
This Free Soul took advantage of a lull in the action at the annual
Florence Rhododendron Festival Sunday to catch a few winks
More than 100 Free Souls. Gypsies and Dead Men took pari in the
celebration
"If people step on us. we
don't mind using violence in
return." explained one Free
Soul member "We aren't
bound by traditional laws But
at the Rhododendron festival
they have always practiced re
straint "We don't want to cause
trouble." explained Marv. "We
have a real good relation with
this town.”
"They ve always done a good
job of policing themselves."
admitted a booster "They ve
always maintained their cool ’
But by the third day of this
festival, and with increased
numbers of bikers, tensions
grew "All it takes." said one
biker's old lady, "is for
someone to bust one of their
bikes and they'll be at the fight
ing "
A Free Soul occassionally
' ..
CLASSIFIEDS
ANNOUNCES
Something to help you outl
SUMMER
SUBLETS*"
15 Words for $1.00
To be published FRIDAY, MAY 25
* For all those people looking for Summer Housing OR
trying to find someone to take over their lease OR
looking for a roommate.
ADS MUST BE PLACED BY 1 PM THURSDAY, MAY 24
LOCATION: 300 EMU. EMU Main Desk, UO Bookstore
CATEGORY: Summer Sublets
collided verbally with a Gypsy of
•'Dead Man.*' rival bikers "You
damned near got 15 of your
brothers shot you came that
fucking close." a Free Soul told
a Gypsy Sunday Usually a rival
will just be called a booger
the festival ended with the
traditional slug race, in which
contestants enter slugs and
urge them to move The bikers
remained calm during the read
ing of the rules "Trainers are
liable for any slug crashing into
the crowd" and ‘ No uppers
Urine samples will be taken
They became restless when the
slugs were placed in the circle
and didn't move
And when the contestants
started to dry up. one biker.
• Rat." lost control See that
slug over there? "he said, ges
turing wildly at a gooey banana
slug "When that fucker
crosses the finish line I'm going
to eat it." He lunged madly for
the ring
"This is quite a shindig." said
an independent biker who gave
his name as Fonseroid Herk
more. "I think maybe I'll return
next year if I ain't dead or
somebody ain't hanged me "
Story by Jock Hatfield
Photos by Ed Warren
Kinko’s
4C
Copies
•Reductions
•Two-sided copies
•Binding
344-7894 1128 Alder