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Feb 23, 2010 » Blogs

Biker Grannies
by: Levin

Somos Muy PeligrosoA 90-year-old nursing home resident woke up with pink hair, tattoos and a hangover.

"Seniors are more fun than you'll ever know," said Lydia Scheltes.

Scheltes wasnt alone: Seven ladies and one dude aged 65 to 97 all had a similar hazy look in their eyes after they hung out with bikers at the Evil Olive bar in Wicker Park on Feb. 11.

I said don't f*ck with me!Some of them were still wearing their own biker gear.

Bethesda's residents usually spend their time knitting or quilting or doing an activity typical of their age group, but they wanted something different for a change. They often drive past the Evil Olive during day trips and fantasized about what goes on inside.

One day Elizabeth Barrett, 68, asked their Life Enrichment Director, Ruth Werstler, if they could check it out.

Biker Mamma's for the win!I did a little digging and found out it was a nightclub, Werstler said. But that didn't deter them.They still wanted to go. In fact, Barrett upped the ante: She suggest going out as bikers.

"It was all my idea," Barrett says with a devious laugh. "We aren't the regular type of nursing home."

Werstler indulged her crew and reached out to various people who could help transform the retirement home crew into a boss biker gang. She recruited hairstylists, make-up artists, a professional costumer and a tattoo artist from Artreach at Lillstreet to donate their time to make the ladies look fearsome.

About 100 people showed up to the club, including members of the Latino American Motorcycle Association and Chicago's Chapter of A.B.A.T.E.

These women were serious, man, said Evil Olive General Manager Eric Bollard. They showed up with pink hair and skull caps. It was for real. One woman walked straight up to the bar and ordered a Dirty Martini. It was great. They even turned the event into a semi-fundraiser. Werstler is trying to raise $25,000 for a touch screen computer system for the non-profit retirement home so that the women can learn and use the Internet. The bikers who showed up pitched in about $250 toward the Never-Too-Late.

But it wasn't the money that tickled the residents. "It was the exhilaration of an evening that felt like it flew by in a nanosecond," said 66-year-old Janet Kaplan.

Kaplan, who is wheelchair bound and admittedly extremely overweight, was disappointed when she first arrived at the club because there were stairs by the entrance.

I said, "We're not going to make it," Kaplan said. " Then before I knew it a group of bikers came and grabbed my wheelchair. All I saw was my head being tipped back and my feet were up in the air and they had me in the club."

The bikers gave the women club hats, and spent time chatting them up, flirting and even dancing. "One of our residents, Katie, just turned 97, and she got up with her walker and shook her booty," Kaplan said. "She shook it good."

The one thing the women didn't get a chance to do was ride on a motorcycle, because it was too cold.

But that's coming. LAMA and A.B.A.T.E. members made plans to come by the residence center in the spring and take the ladies for a ride.

"I want to be the first one on the bike," said 90-year-old Scheltes. They may ride straight back to Evil Olive.

"Man, those ladies were an awesome bunch," Boland said. "Everyone was so into it that we re thinking about arranging another party for them soon."

Feb 19, 2010 » Photo

Skimboarding from the archives

Skimboarding from the arc…

by: Levin

Came across a few old photos from last year. Summer can't come fast enough.

Jan 21, 2010 » Photo

Good From Far But Far From Good

Good From Far But Far Fro…

by: Levin

After three days of torrential rain and gale force side shore wind, dawn broke this morning with light offshore winds and 8 to 10 feet of west swell in the water... any takers?

Jan 19, 2010 » Blogs

Welcome Rivers
by: Levin

Photo: Warren Smith
Welcome Rivers in Scotland

An amateur dancer moonlighting as a professional surfer named Warren Smith and professional broke guy moonlighting as a graphic designer named Grady Archbold have launched a new little web project known as Welcome Rivers, a little place for them to keep the world abreast with their comings and goings with a few things for sale... check it out:

http://www.welcomerivers.com

Sep 22, 2009 » Photo

Boozin\' Bikers America

Boozin' Bikers America

by: Levin

Boozin' Bikers. Like any Australian tradition worth it's salt, it's built upon a foundation of binge drinking and machismo. It is multi leg race, some times to near death, where participants dress and act according to a pre-determined theme and consume large amounts of booze en route to the finish line. Photos courtesy Mackel Vaughn over at mackelvaughn.com