Ride or die chick

(TONYA JAMESON, Charlotte Observer)
We're here. The Wednesday night bike crew parks at Hooters for an evening of wings and things.

Aaaahhhh. The wind whipped through my helmet asI hurtled toward a curve that beckoned me to lean harder and go faster. This is riding, I thought as I zoomed around Iredell County on Wednesday night.

After weeks of my bike being in the shop, I hooked up with my buddies for the weekly Wednesday night dinner ride. About 14 of us started at Interstate Cycle in Cornelius for about an hour of twisties through Mooresville, Davidson and we finished in Statesville at Hooters. I've been riding my Suzuki GSX-R 750 to work ever since I got it out of the shop a few weeks ago, but I haven't had time to ride with the fellas. Thankfully, they were patient with me tonight since I was, and have always been, slower whipping around the country curves than they are. Much love to Troy, the clean up man, who never rides my rear in frustration. (If you're sportbike rider, come on out. The group meets each Wednesday at Interstate Cycle on Exit 28.)

Unfortunately, I couldn't stay for dinner at Hooters. I zipped down to Charlotte for a quick shower, and now I'm off to the grand opening of club NV in Lake Norman, off Exit 28.

Good looking out

Thanks to top notch investigative reporters, I now know that the weekly poker tournaments in local bars such as Angry Ale's and Stool Pigeons may be illegal. Although, participants don't pay to play, some of these tournaments used to -- notice I wrote "used to" -- give out prizes, such as food coupons. Plus those cool poker tables are a no-no. An Alcohol Law Enforcement person told the scandal-uncovering news team that the agency would look into the tournaments.

Lighten up. No one's putting their kid's college fund up to play. The tournaments are a way for strangers to get together, play poker, drink a few brews and form new friendships. I appreciate the interest of hard-working journalists and the ALE in protecting us from the evils of card-playing. But I know somewhere in the region a waitress is serving alcohol to minors, and that deserves more attention than Texas Hold 'Em at Angry Ale's.