Father in law used to work at S&S in Viola

Thousands of motorcyclists are expected here when S&S Cycle holds a 50th anniversary celebration in June of 2008.S&S, which has facilities in La Crosse and Viola, plans to sell the first 50 cycle engines it produced to 50 of the top custom cycle builders in the world during the celebration. That sale will be only one event during what organizers believe will be a rally that could attract 2,000 or more cyclists.S&S was founded S&S was “founded on speed,” by world record holder George Smith Sr., in 1958. Now under the leader of Smith's grandson, Brett, S&S remains devoted to producing engines and parts that make motorcycles, ranging from Harleys to custom cycles, go faster. The company employs more than 400 people, ranging from engineers to workers on the assembly line. S&S opened a 170,000 square foot facility in La Crosse in 2005 and has its original plant in Viola.S&S might be best known in Wisconsin for the development, production, marketing and sales of performance parts for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. But the company has more than 6,000 domestic and international customers, primarily dealers, distributors and most recently, American motorcycle manufacturers like Victory Motor Cycles, Indian, Titan and Big Dog. Tens of thousands of riders annually install S&S parts on their bikes. The company's line of Super carburetors, with a distinctive chrome teardrop air cleaner cover, has been the industry's most popular carburetor for years. S&S products also have won numerous awards in competition. Some recent ones include Hot Bike's High Tech Product of the Year for its performance motors, American Rider's Aftermarket Company of the Year, and Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year's Special Award for "Relentless Research & Development."

An environmental friendly Congressman

Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.) is a bicycle fanatic who rides his various bikes about 2,300 miles a year.
One of his bikes, a limited-edition Trek, cost $6,800. "Better be quiet about that, my wife may be listening," he said quietly during a telephone interview from his home.
It should be no surprise that Oberstar -- the powerful chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee -- recently inserted a bicycle provision into a hefty bill dealing with major airport and airplane projects.
On page 13 of the 168-page bill needed to fund the Federal Aviation Administration and its next-generation air traffic control system, Oberstar ensured that bicyclists and their rides were being represented.
The bill would allow airports to use federal funds -- which are usually tapped to build terminals and parking garages -- to construct bicycle storage facilities for passengers.
"Doesn't it make sense?" Oberstar said, noting that the fathers of aviation, Wilbur and Orville Wright, were originally bicycle builders.
Oberstar, 72, said he got the idea to include the bicycle provision in the FAA bill when he read a story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune about a man who rode his bike to catch a flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The man could not find a place to put his bike, so he locked it to a signpost inside the terminal, the newspaper reported.
When the traveler returned from his trip, his classic Raleigh three-speed was gone. It had been cut up and carted away by security, said Oberstar, his voice dripping with equal parts remorse and disgust.
Oberstar quickly enlisted the help of bicycle enthusiasts to reassemble the bike. It was returned it to its owner at a press conference just days before the November elections. The incident got Oberstar thinking: Why were there no storage facilities for people who might want to use pedal power to reach the airport?
He made a pledge to his bicycle friends. "I told them that we are going to change the law," Oberstar said.
If the bicycle language becomes law, serious questions will soon emerge. Who would ever want to ride a bike to the airport? How would you get your luggage there -- in a side car?
"True, you likely wouldn't be going to an airport on a bike with a suitcase," Oberstar concedes, adding that bikes might work better when flying out on short trips.
Even if your airport has bike racks -- Reagan National has them; Dulles International does not -- how do you safely navigate NASCAR-inspired cabbies and other drivers racing to catch a plane?
Oberstar, who has never ridden a bike to take a flight, said he is already thinking of a solution: bike lanes on airport roads.

Geezers Rule

The Geezer Brigade,celebrating its tenth anniversary (http://www.thegeezerbrigade.com) as THEhumor organization for "clever old people and their attorneys," has oncemore proclaimed July to be "Appreciate A Geezer!" with the theme, "EmpowerYour Inner Geezer!" Curmudgeons everywhere are again urged to speak up: "Not only do I wantmy Seniors' Discount, I'd like a little more APPRECIATION around here! Ididn't get to look this way just sitting around waiting for The DenturesFairy ... " (Phyllis Diller, the group's first Honorary Comedian, obviouslyinfected the Geezers early on with her offbeat irreverence for their"Golden Years.") Geezer-in-Chief, Hurricane Katrina survivor -- "It went right over ourintergalactic headquarters with me in them!" and Founder, 73-year-old JohnKernell, a former vice president of Hill and Knowlton International PublicRelations, is now calling on the talents of fellow Geezer, writer-artist-designer Ann Williams, 71, of Traverse City, MI, to remake the Website andhelp take the organization into its second decade online. The Brigade, with over a million visitors to its site since itsinception and 300 dues-paying members still standing (with help), willcontinue to offers its members a reliable dose of offbeat Senior humorevery morning of their fearsomely feisty lives, but plans on even moreinteractivity. A recurring theme continues as part of each morning's "Nooze of the Dayfrom The Geezer Brigade." The Chief always tells members of The Brigadewhat his helper. Babette nee O'Kallikak, of Wiggins, MS, is "doing" whileshe is, in fact, away visiting family. When she returns, she is inevitablyhorrified to discover the fantastical lengths to which he has gone to amuseand delight The Geezership. E.g. Artist Williams is asking visitors (and members) to picture whatthey think Babette will look like once she takes the bag off her head. Key to the future is how the Brigade redefines the word "Geezer" tosuit itself as "A mildly eccentric older person of either sex, who isgenerally fun to be around." "For example," chortles Kernell, "if good ol' eccentric Dick Cheneyonly knew how much fun he could be if he tried, we'd be out of Iraq in, oh,720 days, or so."