The roar is seared in her memory. Writer Elizabeth Van Winkle recalls waiting for her first Pride Parade to start and not knowing what to expect — and then the Dykes on Bikes revved their engines. Van Winkle digs all the way back to the 1940s while researching the history of motorcyclists in our community, beginning with the legendary Betty D. Neeley.
Missie Tyson and her daughter Gigi Johnson of Ghost Doggs Motorcycle Club rock our cover, and the badass Triumphs are courtesy of Moto Europa, with staging by Steven Washington of the MOTO Museum.
Just John made the most of its downtime with a dazzling six-figure makeover. Patrick Collins talks to co-owner Jeromy Ruot about the big bet on one of our community’s favorite gathering places.
Associate Editor Melissa Meinzer introduces us to public health guru Dr. LJ Punch. Punch believes everyone can be empowered to help in scary situations. They’re taking on the monumental challenges of homelessness, opiate addiction, violence and the pandemic and lifting up everyone in their path.
Fall is the season of the witch, so we chat with Brother Zeeke, a gay witch who discusses everything from card reading to curses.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that October 7 is the deadline to register to vote in Missouri. In addition to the presidential election there are many local races which are critical to our quality of life. Please register, and if you’re registered, make the effort to get someone close to you registered.
On election night, the St. Louis votes are the last to be reported, therefore many times, including with this summer’s Medicaid expansion vote, it appears we’re losing for most of the evening, but then everyone hears it: the roar. That’s the sound of St. Louis revving our engines.
Ride or die. +
