Birthday Ride for Tommy

Next Thursday (Aug 6th), I’m planning another solo ride up to the Dragon, Cherohala Skyway, and Hellbender 28. It’s my birthday and this is how I like to spend those.

I did it last year on my Shadow 750, but this year I’m taking the VTX 1300. I’ve been there on the VTX a few times, but not for a birthday run yet.

Anyway. I’m going to try to get some video and some pictures and, of course, I’ll post them here when I get back.

Here’s a video from last year, just to whet your appetite:

Bikers For Boobs 2009

I participate in various charities throughout the Atlanta Metro area and I have found one more cause that is worth while: Bikers For Boobs - Bikers Battling Breast Cancer. It is an annual poker run that involves generally five different stops. At each stop you pick a card and then volunteers mark on your paper what card you have chosen and you move on to the next stop. At the end, the person with the best hand wins. This year's even was the fourth annual ride. It began at the Harley Davidson of Atlanta, in Lithia Springs; with stops at Fat Cats, Buffalo Wild Wings, The Amerian Legion Post 145, The Watering Hole, and the VFW Post 7404.

Since this was our first riding event, I was not really sure what to expect. What I found were a lot of bikers who are very dedicated to this cause. Many have been affected personally either by battling breast cancer themselves or by having a friend of a family member who has been affected. One tent in particular struck a very eye-opening chord for me. It was called the Memory Tent. I watched as people went in to pay their respects and I found it difficult to watch knowing that they had lost someone in their lives because of this horrible disease.

The people-watching was awesome. There were many women riders, some of whom had their bikes decked out in pink pom-pons and some who wore bras on the outside of their shirts. Of course, since the ride has boobs in the name you have to count on a few of the guys to have their own take on it. One guy wore a bra on his head. I wonder if his mother knew he borrowed her bra? Then, there was Walter. Walter is a dog who we were told has ridden a million miles with his owner. Now that's an Iron Butt! He was adorable in his little leather vest that carried a cell phone; although, I was curious to know who would be calling him. Probably some bitch.

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UPDATE: I just read that this past weekend's event raised $25,000. There were 659 riders and 474 bikes.

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Fat Matt's Rib Shack - Atlanta, GA

We chose to start our journey at the closest BBQ place. We couldn't come up with any better method to choose the first place, so we decided to start at home. What's not to love about Fat Matt's? It's in town, it is extremely consistent, and is what I measure all other BBQ against.

It gets loud after 9pm, so get there early if you're not into that sort of thing. Don't be discouraged by the line out the door. The line moves fast and the food is worth it, but you can call in your order to go, move right past the line, up to the counter and pick it up.

As with most places, I had the standard pulled or chopped pork sandwich and the Brunswick stew. My grandmother made the best Brunswick, and it made family cookouts worth going to as a kid. I have to admit, Fat Matt's tastes just like hers.

If you're in the city, check out Fat Matt's, they are one of the best.

Style: Georgia Tangy
Food: 5
Stew: 5
Tea: 5
Atmosphere: 3 - A bit cramped and crowded, but on nice days you can sit on the porch. Nice blues memorabilia decorations. Good blues after 9pm, but loud.

Cost: $8 per person (avg sandwich, side, tea)
Alcohol: Decent selection of beers

Fat Matt's
1811 Piedmont Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30324
(404) 607-1622
Directions
www.fatmattsribshack.com

Welcome to the BBQ Biker Blog

Welcome to the BBQ Biker Blog.

The Mission
My wife and I enjoy riding motorcycles around the country, sampling the various local BBQ, and experiencing the sights, sounds, and personalities we encounter in our journeys. We decided we should map out the places we visit, giving reviews of the food, atmosphere, and people, and sharing our adventures with those interested in such things.

Who We Are
My name is Tommy Jones. By day, I'm a web developer. At night, I'm a jazz musician. I usually don't eat pork, but I make an exception for BBQ. We all have our vices. My wife, Jennifer, runs a small office by day, takes business courses at night, and loves to ride. We live in Midtown, Atlanta and most of our adventures will start from there.

Our Plan
We will begin with some local Atlanta favorites, revisiting them to take pictures and write reviews. We will then branch out to the many small towns in Georgia and beyond, sampling the local BBQ cuisine and reporting our experience here.

Please check back often for the latest BBQ and feel free to mention us when you visit places we've reviewed.