Johnny's Bikers, Burgers and Beer Blog

Celebrate Eric

2011-05-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

Eric Tognazzini's services are on Friday May 27th but Johnny's will also be hosting a celebration of life-birthday party on Wednesday June 1st at 5:30 pm. This year would have marked sixteen years of celebrating with Eric and we will miss him severely. It will be a wonderful opportunity to share your favorite Eric stories and pictures with friends. We will have some great food as well as cake and a slide show with some of our many memories with Eric.

Eric Tognazzini will be dearly missed

2011-05-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

We have lost many loved ones and each heartbreak leads us to ask, will we ever be same without them? The loss of Eric Tognazzini is indescribable to the Johnny’s family. He has been a part of the woodwork since I bought the place sixteen and half years ago and I’m sure even long before then. He sat in the bar amongst the dust and the noise as we tore open walls and remodeled before we officially got our doors opened. He rode his bicycle to Johnny’s back in those days and we were always thrilled to see his smiling face. I believe it was the end of February or the beginning of March that first year when he told me that his birthday was June 1st. He reminded me about once every two weeks and by the time his birthday was in the two week stretch he told us daily. We had a grand fiesta in his honor and it began a tradition that lasted for sixteen years. As time went on he stopped reminding me and with all of my other obligations; and the onset of menopause, I almost missed a few. For his fifty fifth birthday we hired a hot tamale that was going to strip down to a bathing suit and fuss over him, which we knew would tickle him to no end. When the stripper failed to show up our some of his favorite girls; which included most of the bartending staff, and I did a little dance around him. We rubbed his head and kissed his cheeks and he squealed with delight. I think he relished our little show more than he would have enjoyed a hot skinny stranger. Eric loved being the center of attention and on his birthday he always was. I’m happy to say that the Johnny’s crew and clientele always made Eric a part of our family. We will miss him more than I can say and I assure you that his memory, his spirit, and the many Eric stories will linger on at Johnny’s forever. Our condolences go out to his entire family and especially to Kurt who cared for his brother in a way that many of us could only aspire to. We will be planning a special day to honor Eric at Johnny’s so look for the announcement on Facebook and at our website johnnysbarandgrill.com.

Boozefighters Spring National

2011-05-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

I was honored that my friends the Boozefighters invited me to join them at the Spring National Event. It was held in Reno the last two years which was much easier to get to than Little Rock Arkansas but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. We were treated like royalty by Chapter 66 Bozzefighters and Boozettes. Flip was absolutely amazing. While being on the phone 24-7 making sure that the shuttles from the hotels to the club house were running smoothly he still managed to be at the beck and call of me, Dago and my sick pal Susie the entire time. Sue got food poisoning our first night in Arkansas and spent the entire time in our room sick as a dog.I felt terrible for her but there was nothing I could do besides supply her with ginger ale, saltine crackers, cheese and yogurt.
Dago was blown away by her 81st birthday party. She got so many presents that they had to ship them home for her. She was fawned over the entire time we were in Arkansas and I loved observing it. She is after all the oldest and quite possibly the only living original Boozette. We had a wonderful time and met lots of Boozefighters from as far away as England and Florida. The Boozefighters Motorcycle Club is the greatest bunch of people you could ever hope to meet and I am thrilled to have them as friends.
I'm so excited about July's Hollister Independence Weekend which promises to bring plenty of bikers to Hollister including my Boozefighters who are celebrating their 65th anniversary. Wino Willie would be proud to see how far his club has come. It is one of the oldest motorcycle clubs and is now international with chapters in Italy, France, and England. Boozefighters Up!

Arkansas here I come!

2011-05-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

I'm headed to Little Rock Arkansas for the Boozefighters Spring National Convention.
I attended the National in Reno the past two years and had a ball and I debated traveling so far for this years extravaganza. The Boozefighters and Boozettes that I met in Reno from Arkansas made the invitation irresistable. They paid for my good buddy Dago's flight and room and we'll be celebrating her 81st birthday on Thursday. Dago was nice enough to let me bunk with her, even though me and a few Boozefighters woke her up at 4:00 am with a mini party last year. She's a real sport.
BFMC Chapter 66 has been so gracious already that I know they'll be treating us ladies like royalty. The Boozefighters are always so good to me and the entire Johnny's team and I love having the privleadge of hanging out with them and enjoying their company at the National. I promise to have lots of stories and pictures for you on my return. As always, Boozefighters Up!

Cinco De Mayo's Coming

2011-04-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

May 5th is on a Thursday this year which means after chowing down on some great free mexican food you can join us for Karaoke. The party starts at 5:00 with mexican beer specials and party favors. We'll eat at 6:00 and Shane will start Karaoke at 8:00. You don't want to miss this party!

Bike Blessing a Huge Success

2011-04-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

There were so many bikes on San Benito Street Sunday it looked like the good old rally days. I worked and didn't get to take part in the festivities but I heard wonderful things about it. The Top Hatters did an excellent job as usual and a good time was had by all. The weather was perfect for the event and San Benito County was loaded with riders taking in the great sceanery and enjoying the ride.

It was a great opportuity to spread the word about the Hollister Independence Weekend. We don't need a rally to honor our tradition as the Birthplace of the American Biker. Businesses and non-profits are getting together to throw a Hollister open house July 1st- July 4th and it promises to be a great time. Just to mention a few things we've got going on, there's the Top Hatter and the VFW poker runs, Corbins open house including vendors and demo's and my big birthday bash for Vern Autry, the only living Boozefighter I know that was here in 1947. Vern rode into Hollister back then on his Knucklehead and he's riding in this year on his customized Sportster. He's turning 86 on June 26th and he's riding for five hours to be in Hollister once again for Fourth of July weekend. God bless him. My 51 year old butt doesn't handle rides much more than three hours long on our comfy Road King, I can't imagine being 86 and riding a Sportster for five. Vern has more great stories about the old days than anyone I know and I can't wait to hang out with him.
So spread the word folks, Hollister's the only place to be on Fourth of July weekend if you're a biker.

An Outpouring of Love

2011-03-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

The people that came forward to help with the benefit for Scarlet Renee Gil overwhelmed me. With less than eight weeks of preparation and some flyers dispersed around town we managed to raise $3600.00 for Scarlet’s medical needs. All the food was donated, cooked and served by wonderful friends. By 12:30 there was a long line of people waiting for their plates and to-go boxes. Everyone was cheerful and patient and thanked the volunteers for the great job they did. Our local firefighters even bought plates for everyone at the firehouse.
I was awestruck by the raffle prizes that were donated. There were no less than a hundred of them with everything from a ceiling fan, garbage disposal and golf clubs to gift certificates for haircuts, facials and the Gilroy Gardens. Studious people made thoughtful baskets full of goodies like the fixings for a dinner for two, and chocolate, champagne and a movie for a romantic evening. Businesses and individuals alike kept showing up with gift after gift and then proceeded to purchase hoards of raffle tickets.
Little Scarlet spent hours enjoying all of the people and never got fussy. We were all blessed by her smiles and laughter. The love and charity that filled the building was palpable and I was more humbled than I can begin to say. It would be impossible for me to thank everyone who contributed without filling many pages but you know who you are. God Bless you all.

Great St. Patty's Day

2011-03-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

A good time was had by all on March 17th at Johnny's. Speaking of the 17th, that's how many Saint Patrick's Days I've had at Johnny's. Time flies when you're having fun. We sold 39 orders of corned beef and cabbage at lunch and the 60 pounds I cooked to give away to my faithful friends was gone in thirty five minutes. We were so packed it felt like the 4th of July when we used to have a rally. Shane was a patient man. It took awhile to move all of the tables loaded with people so he could set up for Karaoke. And folks were great about being asked to move too. We needed a dance floor after all. As usual I saw people I haven't seen since last years festivities but we saw a lot of new faces too. Enjoy the photo's and we'll hope to see you Sunday for the benefit for baby Scarlett. We're serving great BBQ dinners from noon until the food runs out and have a raffle too with all proceed going to help fund her surgeries.

Keeping Your Irish Eyes Local

2011-03-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick read from Independent We Stand, about the importance of buying locally to support or local economy. We'd love to see you at Johnny's!

This St. Patrick’s Day Keep Your Irish Eyes Local!

St. Patrick’s Day spending in 2011 is projected to be approximately $4.14 billion*. If you spend your St. Patty’s dollars this year at a locally owned Irish restaurant or pub, a total of $2.81 billion would be reinvested in local communities across the U.S. If you plan on celebrating at a national chain, your local reinvestment drops to only $1.98 billion. This St. Patrick’s Day spread your green locally and help revive your local economy.

source: http://bit.ly/IrishEyesLocal

March Madness at Johnny's

2011-03-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

What a week we've got coming up. Tomorrow we have Bunco and American Idle; let's watch our local favorite James Durbin make another cut, followed by our Saint Patrick's day bash with free corned beef and cabbage and Karaoke with Shane @ 8:00 on Thursday. Friday the Clampers gather for a spaghetti feed and meeting; you know they know how to party, and on Saturday our pal Bill Gonzales is celebrating his retirement from the San Jose Police Department. I'm tired just thinking about it but I feel very blessed. We're having an awesome year so far and I can't wait to see what else God has in store for us.

Don't forget our benefit for baby Scarlett on Sunday March 27th @ 12:00.

God Bless you all, we love you.

The blessings keep coming.

2011-03-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

What a weekend we had at Johnny's. It started out with Kat's birthday celebration Friday night and just kept rolling. The Delta Company Guys stopped in to let us know that some of them are going back into harms way. Some of these guys are on their third and forth tour. Keep them in your prayers.

I had a lazy day Saturday; Jeana dropped me off at my house at 2:15 a.m. but the troops kicked butt without me. Poor Jeana had to be back at work at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and then she ran her tail off from the moment she opened the door. I thank God for wonderful customers and friends like Annie, Cliff and Nadine that jump in to help out. My crew couldn't do what they do without them and I certainly couldn't rest on my couch if I didn't know they were there helping. A huge thank you to all of you. I love you and am blessed to have you in my life.

Budman Memorial Run 2011

2011-02-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

The 2nd annual Budman Memorial Run was a huge success and a great time was had by all. We had 41 motorcycles, four cars and a truck; that came in handy when TJ's motorcycle refused to start. Poor Boo Boo's shifter fell off and he never made it past Wright Road. It was a cold and foggy day and I have to admit that I was thrilled to be in my car with my son, Allen at the wheel. He scared the bejesus out of me a couple of times when we were trying to catch up with the pack but I was able to get some great photos because he was driving.

The Gustine Lounge very graciously provided chili and garlic bread to thaw out our bones and we'll be sure to make them a stop again next year.

The mood was somber at the San Joaquin Valley Cemetery; we all wished we were celebrating Russel's birthday with him as we did at this time for many years. We raised our beers to toast him and as the call "To Budman" rang out across the valley and we pictured him smiling down on us, thrilled that we rode in his honor.

We threw a party that he would be proud of and in the process raised $1100.00 for the San Benito County Food Bank. After the BBQ and raffle many people dropped their bikes off at home and came back with designated drivers to dance their socks off. When the band stopped at 11:00 we were all exhausted and happy.

I would like to thank all of the wonderful volunteers who worked so hard to make this event a success. We could not do it without you. There are too many names to list and I would undoubtedly miss someone and feelings would be hurt but I want you all to know that you are appreciated by the Johnny's family, the food bank and of coarse Budman.

2011-02-02T13:07:00.001-08:00

Blessings Galore

2011-01-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

January took off with a bang and continues to be fantastic. In this lousy economy with so much unemployment I expected business to slow down but God continues to blow my socks off with His blessings. I decided a long time ago to thank Him every day for all I have and everything He continues to do for me and I believe that it is a good practise for everyone. When you dwell on the good things in life the hurtles are much easier to tackle. As we kick off a New Year lets all be more thankful and thoughtful and make our crazy little corner of the world a better place to be.

Giants World Series Trophy Rally

2011-01-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

Everyone was moving a little slowly New Years Day but we had a nice turn out for our Giants party. If you haven't heard yet we are trying to bring the World Series Trophy to Hollister. It is going on tour and all of the destinations have not been decided on yet. We think Hollister is full of Giants faithful fans that deserve to see the trophy up close and personal. In my sixteen years at Johnny's the night the Giants won the series was one of the best I can remember. The team spirit and camaraderie that rocked my bar that day was indescribable. We're asking that all of our fans let the folks in the Giants front office know how much it would mean to us to have the trophy here. Email your inspirational requests, pictures and videos to trophytour@giants.com.

Together we can make this happen.

A wild and fun filled week

2011-01-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week with lots of events and a great time was had by all. New Years Eve was awesome. We stayed busy all day and a record breaking 45 people joined us for dinner. We had a fantastic Karaoke with lots of singing and dancing. I had the unusual pleasure of having a lot of family here to ring in the New Year with. Hollister Taxi did their best to keep up; they had four cars and a van for larger groups, but when a driver flaked on them at the last minute it threw everything off. People waited for a long time for their rides and my family's non-drinkers jumped in and helped which resulted in a hilarious video. Hollister Taxi owner Liz felt terrible about the slow response time. I know how it feels to have people you are counting on back out on you at the last minute. I suffered severely because of just that problem through many motorcycle rallies. Thanks Liz for doing your best. We love you. It was one of the best New Years Eves ever and I want to thank all of the wonderful people that joined us. We hope you'll be back next year.

Christmas Party a huge success!

2010-12-27T20:54:00.000-08:00

Our annual Christmas party and white elephant gift exchange was the best one ever with over 50 gifts exchanged. It took quite a while to finish but we had a ball and everyone stayed for Karaoke afterwards.

We kept Hollister Taxi hopping all evening. A big shout out goes to Liz and her crew for taking such good care of all of us. Speaking of which; if you're coming to Johnny's to join us for our New Years Eve bash, dinner or both call our friends at Hollister Taxi and it's only $10.00 round trip from anywhere in Hollister.

And don't forget to come down New Years Day for our Giant's party. We're petitioning the Giant's to add Hollister to their World Series Trophy Tour. Bring an inspirational letter and join us for free chili dogs and pizza and be a part of the video and pictures we're sending to the team.

On Sunday January 2nd we're having our anniversary party celebrating 17 years as owners of Johnny's. Paul Z is doing his magic with his barrel BBQ and good friends are bringing side dishes. We'll see if our 49ers can win one with their interim coach, sadly Singletary just couldn't get the job done.

December musings

2010-12-07T16:22:00.000-08:00

It's dinner time and I haven't written a word in my book. Tuesday's are usually dedicated entirely to writing but I got thrown way off track today. After my morning workout I ran errands and when I returned home from the grocery store my urge to play Suzy Homemaker and do a little online Christmas shopping won out. My Christmas cards are ordered, there is a pie in the oven and short ribs in the crock pot. I am honoring my promise to myself to blog every week so here I am. I don't have any exciting news to share except that my new t-shirt design is finally finished and the new shirts are coming off the presses as I write. Fast Eddies Custom Screen Printing is the bomb. Not only is the company fast but it is a local, family owned company. My bartender Kathleen and her husband Eddie own it and their son Shawn drew up the artwork for my shirts. I think everyone will agree after seeing the new design that he is one talented dude.

Our pal Robbie Scattini was sworn in at the Hollister City Council meeting last night. I'm sorry to say that I didn't get to witness the auspicious occasion. We're thrilled to have him back on board. He is the reason we had 2007 & 2008 motorcycle rallies. My husband says I need to give up on the rally and look for something else that will generate business for our sleepy little community. How does the West Coast Punkin Chunkin Contest sound? We watched the Chunk that's held in Delaware on the Discovery Channel and it was great. Like our debunked rally, their event generates lots of money for non-profits, and it brings upwards of 50,000 spectators to a very rural area; it takes place East of Bridgeville Delaware. We may not be the farming community we once were but I think there's some real potential here. Even Hollister law enforcement could get behind this idea, unless of course any event that brings thousands of people to our community and the extra work that goes along with it is frowned on by our understaffed police department. Of course with more revenue maybe the city could afford to hire more officers. Feel free to share your thoughts.

Firing up the debate

2010-12-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

The letter to the editor that ran in the Freelance about Hollister Police Chief Miller retiring spurred plenty of activity in the newspapers online comment section. I am always interested in hearing what people have to say but I believe a forum that allows people to post their thoughts anonymously is flawed. I always attach my name to any articles I write or comments I make and I believe that everyone should be required to do the same. Any coward can lash out and say nasty things about people when they are allowed to hide behind online pseudonyms. I try not to respond to any of the slanderous comments but sometimes I can't help myself. However I am not about to get into a battle of words with anyone who doesn't have the courage to attach their name to their comments. I would however love to hear from fellow bloggers that identify themselves and invite you all to share your feelings about what I write whether positive or negetive and I promise to respond to your questions and comments with honesty and integrity.

I would like to clear up a serious misconception regarding the Hollister Motorcycle Rally and Johnny's. It does bring in some much needed extra income for us. When we have a rally, during the month of July we do about one month's extra business. That does not equate to hundreds of thousands of dollars as some people would like to think. We only have so much space and it is limited. Out of the extra money we make we pay a food bill as well as beer and liquor bills that have doubled, twenty five extra employees wages and many other extras. I take the opportunity to give extra money to our church and local charities like the Community Pantry. We purchase new equipment and make necessary repairs to the bar. If there is any left after that we put it in the bank for relief during slower times which usually befall us by the middle of August.

The rally isn't all about money in the first place. It put Hollister on the map and gives people a reason to get off the freeway. Because of the historical significance that Johnny's holds we see people from all over the globe and we love it. People from as far away as Australia, Italy, Japan, France and Germany come to visit us and soak up some history. Johnny's is to Hollister what the Arch is to Saint Louis or the Golden Gate Bridge is to San Francisco. This may not seem like a great analogy to some people but we are the tourist destination of our fair city and proud of it. People are free to stop by and check out our guest book any time. It is truly amazing.

My prayer is that the new political climate will allow us to once again have a fun motorcycle rally that brings lots of business to our deserted downtown. We have lost many businesses that were icons in this city which saddens me. I thank God every day for a wonderful business with the best customers that anyone could hope to have. My employee's are awesome too and that's why people keep coming back. Feel free to share your thoughts, just be sure to sign your name.

Hollister Police Chief Retires ( Well sort of )

2010-12-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

Chief Miller is officially retiring. When asked for my opinion on the subject by the Freelance my first response was, “Thank God, it’s about time.” My comments, when shared from the reporter’s point of view did not reflect the scope of my feelings on the subject and I wanted to personally share my thoughts with readers.
First let me say that I believe that Chief Miller is a good man and a Christian. Because I own Johnny’s Bar & Grill, there are many ways that he could make my life a living hell but despite our disagreements the bar has a good working relationship with the Hollister Police Department. Any criticism I’ve shared about the way the chief handles the rally, I have shared with him personally, either face to face or via email. For that reason, I believe that despite our differences we share a mutual respect.
As to the way his retirement is being handled, I have some questions that I’m sure the voting public would like the answers to. The council has known about the chief’s planned retirement for quite some time. I personally heard the rumor more than six months ago. I can’t help wondering why they were not searching for a new chief long before the official announcement was made. If there are policies in place that kept them from looking until the last minutes please fill me in.
According to our city manager Clint Quilter the new six month contract with the chief saves money because the city would have to pay for outside help as well as lodging and other services if the chief left. What other services is he talking about, and would the outside help be paid more than the chief’s wages plus his retirement? I don’t pretend to understand how the system works so please, explain this to me. Aren’t Hollister resident tax dollars paying for the chief’s retirement and his wages now that he is staying on? Not paying for the chiefs medical benefits can’t possibly save us $40,000 in six months can it? Wouldn’t it have been more prudent and fiscally responsible to have a replacement in line for the chief months ago?
Every politician that I have spoken with on the subject has said that there is a very little chance that the Sheriff’s Department and HPD will be consolidating services any time soon, if at all, so putting off the search for a new chief to see how that played out wouldn’t make sense.
If a replacement is hired from within a positive attitude towards our rally is not likely. I saw how things went with the sheriff’s department when Curtis Hill replaced Sheriff Nyland. The mentality and politics never changed, but I’ll save my thoughts on the sheriff’s department for another time.
Because of Sheriff Hill and Chief Miller’s prejudice towards bikers they used law enforcement cost’s put an end to an event that put Hollister on the map, stimulated the local economy and raised funds for many local non-profits. With a new, unconnected man in the sheriffs’ office I hope to see change there. I fear that if the new chief is chosen from within he’ll share Miller’s view of bikers, and law enforcement costs, the only impediment to a financially viable and successful rally, will still be in place. And if his predecessor doesn’t share the chief’s Christian values I may wind up wishing Miller was still around, Lord help me!
Ray Friend has honored his word to try to bring our rally back in 2011. There are many hurdles to overcome to get it done next year but people should know that there are serious efforts under way and with the change in the political climate I am remaining hopeful. In the meantime email and call your council members with your support for the rally. Our economy desperately needs the boost of 100,000 visitors again and we need to keep the pressure on.
To the Chief I say God Bless you and I wish you all the best in your retirement. My prayer is that in seminary school you will not learn to become more religious but will come to be more like Jesus and see that your preconception of bikers is not only wrong but unchristian. There’s a story in the Bible about when Jesus chose Matthew, a tax collector which in his time was one of the worst types of people (could be a one percent biker of today) and called him to be his disciple. The Pharisee’s were appalled that Jesus would associate with such undesirables. Let me share with you from The New Living Translation Bible what Jesus had to say about it.
Matthew 9/10-13 Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” “Healthy people don’t need a doctor - sick people who do!” Then he added, “Now go away and learn the meaning of this Scripture: I want you show mercy, not offer sacrifices. For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
If Jesus were on earth today he would more than likely plant himself at one of the local bars in the thick of the rally, share His love with unbelievers, and many would come to know him because of an interaction with him.
Both professed Christians Chief Miller and Sheriff Hill missed a wonderful opportunity to show a multitude of people the love of Jesus, and instead chose to be self-righteous Pharisees. Although the chief wisely chose not to be as vocal about his opinion of bikers as Mr. Hill, as a leader his attitude towards them was exemplified by his team during the motorcycle rally. Friendly and welcoming has never been a description I’ve heard used to describe the packs of officers that roam around town during the event. Whatever the future holds for Hollister’s law enforcement, our city council needs our prayers for guidance in handing it. You can be sure they will have mine.

Lights On Parade

2010-11-23T10:18:00.000-08:00

Time is flying by like the wind and I have been shamefully lax about blogging. Between running the bar and trying to finish the book I'm writing about life at Johnny's it's hard to keep up with the daily routine much less the extras. Hollister's 20th annual Lights On Parade is Saturday November 27th and it is always a great time. I'm praying that rain doesn't ruin it. We haven't had a float in the parade for about twelve years now because the stress of building it (Tommy was still drinking back then) almost sent us to divorce court. Now we're happy to serve the beverages that warm the tummy and watch the parade go by. Come on down and join us and stay for dancing with the Bomb Shell Bullies at about 8:30. Have a great Thanksgiving.

The Pinnacle Opinion Letter

2010-08-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

I wrote a letter to the editor thanking the folks that showed up at the city council meeting Monday August 2nd to show their support for our motorcycle rally and discussed how I thought it all played out. I finished with a little humor that didn't sound quite as funny with the change of one word. Replacing mud, as in wrestling with sumo to be politically correct with out taking out the other references to mud wrestling made the whole thing sound a bit silly to me. I'm putting the original letter on this blog so that you can be the judge. Sometimes you just can't take life too seriously. God Bless, Charisse

I’d like to say a big thank you to the folks that showed up for the Monday night City Council meeting in support of our motorcycle rally. The rally was not on the agenda but the motive of being there was to speak to the council during the public comment portion of the meeting and let them know that our community wants its rally back. My letter to the editor of the Pinnacle requesting that citizens who wanted the rally back show up Monday night did not make it into the Friday edition and with only word of mouth, Face Book and a few posters we had around twenty five people show up. Of those fifteen or so filled out comment cards. Speaking in public is a huge fear for many people and sadly about five of them lost their nerve. Thanks for the effort folks, sometimes fear overrides passion. You all had your hearts in the right place. The ten people that did take the podium spoke eloquently and had very good points to make. I was very proud to be among them.
As most people know I’m an old hat at addressing the council myself. I’ve been fighting for the rally almost every year since the idea was birthed. While I was speaking I looked at the chief and the smirk smeared across his face said, “Keep trying Charisse. You will never win, not as long as I am chief.” If the council refuses to scrutinize the law enforcement bill and make perfectly reasonable cutbacks he will be right.
Pauline Valdevia said, and I’m paraphrasing here, “The council didn’t cancel the rally, we just said that we wouldn’t pay for it with tax payer dollars. Anyone who wanted to have a rally and cover law enforcement costs was welcome to put one on. ” As long as the bill for law enforcement is at the outrageous level that it has been for the last four rallies no one will be able to come up with enough money cover it and make a profit. The chief knows it, the tax payers know it, and smart council members know it.
Ray Friend stated that he was the council liaison for the rally and that he wanted to work with anyone who wants to help bring it back. I believe that he is sincere but once again if law enforcement costs aren’t adjusted we are just peeing in the wind, please excuse the expression.
Our mayor Victor Gomez pretty much repeated what Pauline said, “We want to have a rally, we just don’t want to pay for it out of the general fund.”
Mayor Gomez has accused me of wanting to have a rally without having to do any of the work. I guess he doesn’t remember that I was chairperson for the 2007 Hollister Motorcycle Rally Committee. I put my money where my mouth was and worked my tail off for most of a year. Our committee turned over our responsibilities to the Chamber of Commerce for the 2008 rally and I have it on pretty good authority that if we had said no to the move there never would have been one. We know how that turned out. The cities attempt to sell t-shirts flopped. Despite the fact that the rally was moved off of the Fourth of July weekend and the bikes were not on San Benito Street, a change bikers despise by the way, Chief Miller added yet another $29,000 to the law enforcement bill and he broke the city and Seth Daulton.
I am still hopeful that we can work something out. Many people have stepped forward that want to help. I would love to see the Hollister Down Town Association get involved. They have done such a great job with the Farmers Market, and this years Street Festival was the best.
It’s all going to come down to paying for law enforcement. I’ve racked my brain trying to figure out a way to earn a big chunk of change to put towards a rally. While I was picturing the smirk on the chiefs’ face an idea came to me. If I were to get him to agree to mud wrestle me in the middle of Fifth Street in front of city hall, no bikini for me I would wear a demure one piece, I’m sure I could raise $100,000. I would open up an account at San Benito Bank for donations, put an add in the Thunder Press, promote it on Face Book and I’ll bet we’d have the money in no time. If you knew how much I hate getting dirty you would understand what a huge sacrifice this would be for me. Heck, I don’t even like being splashed in the face with water while in the pool and I try not to get my hair wet. I know the chiefs stronger than me and I’m sure he’d love to bury my face in the mud, but with my shear determination I may get in a few good licks. I know we would draw one heck of a crowd that would gladly donate to watch. We could auction off the best seats to the highest bidder and bring in the big bucks. The only problem with that is that so many bikers would want to watch that the chief would probably charge the city $125,000 for extra law enforcement for the day and we’d be back in the hole.
Sincerely, Charisse Tyson

Quiet 4th of July weekend bad for business

2010-07-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

Quiet Weekend Great for Law Enforcement, Bad for Business

The quiet Fourth of July weekend made law enforcements job easier but it didn’t add any desperately needed funds to the coffers of local business or government. Johnny’s history makes us a favorite biker destination and I am grateful for the folks that came in to eat, drink and soak up some history. However, if I did a small fraction of the business that I would do during a rally how disappointing was it for the rest of the businesses that benefit from one? Many suffered a loss, hundreds of unemployed missed out on a least some temporary work, and non-profits didn’t earn any money for their charities. The First Methodist church has counted on their Biker Breakfast for a huge chunk of their annual income for years and it has all but vanished. I’m past being angry and am sad and disgusted. The city council needs to understand that we can’t afford not to have a rally. It doesn’t take a math wiz to see the loss to our city, our county and even the entire state of California.
People came from all over the world to attend our rally. If they are riding down from Washington and Oregon or up from Arizona and New Mexico they need to travel through much of California to get to our sleepy little town. As a biker I know that on a long ride we make several stops to rest our tired back sides and they almost always constitute purchasing gas, food, and beverages. In this lousy economy many motorcycle enthusiasts could not afford to go to Sturgis or Daytona and we could have been a vacation destination for tens of thousands of them.
The loyal bikers that did show up were tailgated on San Benito Street by law enforcement who hoped to find a reason to site them. They had a quota to meet. I’ve never gotten confirmation that quotas exist but if you don’t believe they do I have some ocean front property in Phoenix for sale. Many citations were issued for things that are ignored all year long. Welcome to Hollister. Since there was no rally the stabbing down town was not considered an incident. It didn’t involve bikers or Johnny’s patrons but I assure you if there had been a rally the incident would have been mentioned and even associated with it.
Most people understand that mine is not a selfish struggle. Hollister needs our rally. Without the rally we are not a tourist destination. We have many wonderful wineries, a chocolate factory, the Pinnacles National Monument and very scenic countryside. None of that draws more than a hundred thousand people to our county. Because of our undeniable place in history a motorcycle rally does. And guess what? Once they are here they find out about all of the wonderful things our area has to offer and a lot of them come back to visit again, not just on Fourth of July weekend.
What is it going to take to get the Hollister City Council to take off the blinders and see the big picture? If a hundred business owners and residents would show up at a council meeting and address the council during its public comment portion they could not ignore us. Many people want the rally but they don’t care enough to do anything about it. Take a few hours out of your Monday night and support something that you believe in. You don’t like to speak in public? I don’t either, but I got past it. All you need to do is state your name and your address and say, “I want our rally back.” How hard can that be? Standing by idle and complaining will not fix this problem. I beseech all of you who care to show up at city hall on Monday August 2nd and tell your council members how you feel. Sincerely, Charisse Tyson

July 4th weekend party

2010-06-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

I can't believe another fourth of July weekend is around the corner and we are rallyless once again. We plan on having a great weekend anyway. There are plenty of bikers that refuse to let the tradition die and we love and appreciate each and every one of you. The Boozefighters that call Johnny's their home will be here with bells on and they are the life of the party. We're kicking off the party on Thursday July 1st with Karaoke at 9:00. We open at 8:00 am Friday through Sunday for breakfast serving chicken fried steak and eggs and many other favorites. Our famous BBQ will be ready at 11:00 featuring our great burgers, pork sandwiches, teriyaki shirt steak, my award winning chili and more. A Boozefighter favorite the Los Hightops band will be playing for us on Friday from 8:00 to 12:00. This is a Boozefighter party so if we are at capacity Boozefighters will be our priority. Thanks for your understanding. These folks do a lot for us at Johnny's. Saturday night the party continues with Karaoke at 8:30. At sunset Sunday we'll have our annual show in the alley with our safe and sane fire works. Ice cold beer, great food and good friends, what more could you ask for?

A Great Cinco De Mayo

2010-05-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

We had a great Cinco De Mayo.

Good food and good times were had by all. Our feature burger the Hollister Heat, entered by our own Pastor Henry got the first "10" rating since our contest began. I saw my friend Terra that enjoyed the burger today and she down graded it to a 9 because of next day issues. Those Serrano chili’s will come back to haunt you. Yesterday Annie’s entry the Rolling Thunder got a 10 followed up with an OMG in the comment section.

We’re having a hard time getting people to try the specials because they are hooked on either our standard cheese burger or their own concoction. We’re having fun with the contest though so come on down and judge one of our entries.

I'm slipping.

2010-03-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

It seems like time is flying by so fast that I can't keep up. I'm trying to work on my book, get ready for my tax man, run the bar and sneak in some down town with my husband and I'm getting way behind on my web site and blog. Consequently events come and go and I forgot to announce them at all. So here's a run down of what's happening at Johnny's in March.

Friday March 13th at 7:00 p.m., we are honoring Cathy Micheal, a friend we lost to ovarian cancer with a benefit that will include great food and a raffle with all proceeds going to The American Cancer Society in her name. We'll follow it up with one of Cathy's favorite past times, Johnny's Karaoke.

I shouldn't need to tell you what Wednesday the 17th is. The annual Johnny's Saint Patrick's Day Bash promises to be a good one. We will be serving corned beef and cabbage at lunch as always and the free spread is at 6:30 p.m. Get here early for a good seat. We have been Hollister's St. Patty's day party headquarters for more than sixty years. The camaraderie is great and the corned beef melts in your mouth.

Saturday March 27th the Bomb Shell Bullies are back at 9:00 p.m. If you haven't heard them you don't know what you're missing. Put on your dancing shoes and come on down.

Sunday March 28th the Top Hatters annual Bike Blessing is at noon at Sacred Heart Church. Sign ups for the ride and event at Bolado Park afterwards are at Whiskey Creek starting at 10:00 a.m. At Johnny's we'll be serving breakfast beginning at 9:00 and our famous burgers and steaks from 11:00a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Join us for a blessed time.

Well that's March for you. April is full events too and i promise to be more diligent with my posts. Thanks for tuning in, Charisse

Welcome back party was a blast!

2009-11-28T13:06:00.000-08:00

We all had a great time celebrating the safe return of the Delta Company and Wolfy from Iraq. The food was great and the band was awesome. The dance floor was full from the time the band started until they quit. One of the guys couldn't join us and he was sorely missed. He missed one heck of a party. We might have to plan another one just so he can participate. Some of these guys were on their third tour. We're hoping they are all home to stay. They served their country well. Remember our troops. They are spending their holidays stuck in the desert fighting for our country. Pray for them and send Christmas cards. Be there for the family members who are missing their loved ones. God Bless them all and God Bless America.

Veterans Day BBQ Benefit

2009-11-17T16:50:00.000-08:00

Our Veterans Day BBQ was a huge success. We actually ran out of food for the first time. The support from the community was overwhelming. Our mural has been restored to it's original beauty, if not even better and the security camera has been installed. Funds from the BBQ made a huge dent in the costs incurred for the restoration. The parade was the best one ever and there was more support from the community for it than I have ever seen. I don't know if the Fort Hood incident or the newspaper article had anything to do with it but I hope this kind of support for our troops continues. Speaking of troops. Delta Company and Wolfy are home safe and sound. We are having a welcome back party on Saturday November 21st with a BBQ and live music with the Bomb Shell Bully's. The Party starts at 3:00 p.m.

Trouble

2009-10-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Many of our fans may already have heard that we had quite a bit of trouble last Thursday night during Karaoke. A group of disrespectful punks reeked havoc on my bar. I was stuck on highway 25 on the way back from a Wynona concert when all hell broke loose. The good news is we have eleven cameras covering Johnny’s and we have very good footage of the perpetrators. The DVD with all of their faces has been turned over to HPD. Our prayer is that they do something with it and arrest the hoodlums. Johnny’s has had a stellar reputation in this town for years and I have no intention of letting a bunch of creeps steal that from us. With that said there will be a few changes coming to Karaoke on Thursdays. We are skipping it all together on October 1st. Beginning October 8th we will have Karaoke from 7:30 to 11:30. This will make it easier for our Karaoke pals that get up early for work to enjoy a little singing and still get to bed at a reasonable hour. We will be enforcing a stringent dress code in order to weed out the trouble makers. I miss the days when people wore a cap because they wanted to support their favorite football team and a t-shirt was just a t-shirt. I know that the many wonderful customers that have shared Karaoke with us for years will be patient through these trying times and continue to show their support. We can’t tell you how much we love and appreciate you all.
We look forward to seeing your smiling faces and hearing your beautiful voices.

What A Rush!

2009-09-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

I did it. I went skydiving, tandem of course for the first time. It was awesome. The folks at Adventure Center Diving here in Hollister were great. There is a bit of standing around and waiting but the ride is well worth the wait. My instructor Mako was wonderful. He has over 1000 jumps under his belt. He made me feel very comfortable and confident. The scariest part for me was the ride to 15,000 feet in a little plane with fourteen other people. I'm a claustrophobic you see. The climb seemed like it took quite a while and I was pretty much white knuckling it all the way. Once that door was open I felt great again. I worried about being scared when I was waiting to jump out of the door but I can tell you there is really no time to think about it. You are at the door and then you're out flying around in the big blue sky. Even Mako said we could not have picked a better day to jump. It was beautiful. Brian my video photographer did a wonder job. My only regret is that I didn't look up during the free fall. They say it is only a minute but it sure seemed longer than that. I was afraid to move my head much for fear of losing my goggles or bonking Mako with my head but I now know that neither thing would have happened. I'm going to go back and do it again as soon as I can afford to. I'll request the same team and this time I'll see more of the world by looking up.

Too Excited!

2009-09-12T05:55:00.000-07:00

Between the buzz of my first San Benito County Leadership class yesterday and the fact that I will be jumping out of a plane sometime in the next six to eight hours I have been awake for quite some time. After tossing and turning for what felt like hours I figured I should just get up and do what writers do, write. My good friends Dave Blair and Gregg Bonturi have agreed to join me in my skydiving venture. Rumor has it Kathy Blair may join us too. We will be doing a tandem jump with the Adventure Center Skydiving Company in Hollister. If what they say is true we will be jumping from 15,000 feet. No wonder I can't sleep. I've been saying for years that I wanted to do this before I turned fifty. With the big 50 quickly approaching, December 9th to be exact, I'm getting it done with not much time to spare. My jump was donated as a raffle prize at one of our many fundraisers and all my tickets went into the jump jar. I am going to have to kick in another forty bucks because they say my certificate was for a 10,000 foot jump and now they are going to 15,000 feet. Some friends and past jumpers told me that we need oxygen at that height so I'll have to ask if I heard them wrong. I'll be back with an post jump update. Bon Voyage, or what ever they say when throwing yourself out of a perfectly good plane.

Town Hall Meeting

2009-08-12T21:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight I attended the town hall meeting hosted by Congressmen Sam Farr. I have never really been a fan. His voting reputation when it comes to issues regarding small business in California is not one that I agree with. But, God Bless him he has held more town meetings than most of his fellow legislators. In fact 67% of Congress is too scared to hold town hall meetings. With everything I've seen on You Tube and the news I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I have to say San Benito County residents were very civil and well behaved. With the exception of a few outbursts from real riled up citizens it was a peaceful gathering of people with very diversified opinions. Mr. Farr was very congenial even when being yelled at. I may not agree with his politics but as a person he is OK with me. It's hard to say which way the crowd was leaning but it seemed to me that there were a lot more people worried about the government running our health care system than there were those willing to see them try. Don't get me wrong, I know the system is broken. It needs an overhaul. But in my humble opinion more government control is not what this country needs. Haven't they screwed things up enough?

Fourth of July: A Sentimental Success

2009-08-04T19:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Boozefighters we enjoyed the 4^th of July weekend despite the loss of revenue we experienced because of the cancellation of the rally. I am so thankful for our pals. They mean more to us at Johnny’s than I can say. We started seeing the green and white shirts and vests on Thursday July 2^nd. By Friday morning the bar was full of Boozefighters enjoying the chicken fried steak and eggs smothered in country gravy. Wind and Fire, a motorcycle club comprised of fire fighters also enjoyed the camaraderie, spicy Bloody Marys and good food. So many of the wonderful bikers I spoke with told me that as far as they are concerned Hollister is and always will be a tradition.

Friday night Los High Tops rocked the house. There was a lot of dancing going on and a great time was had by all. Those smart Boozefighters had vans with designated drivers to take them to and from Johnny’s and Bolado Park so they wouldn’t have to worry about drinking and driving.

Saturday started off with another busy breakfast. In the afternoon I noticed that we had quite a gathering of Boozefighters on the patio so I went to check it out. To my surprise they called me to join Snowman at Wino Willie’s monument and presented me with a trophy. Every year the group bestows a replica of the trophy that Johnny “Marlon Brando” won in the movie the Wild Ones to someone that has meant a lot to them. I was surprised and overwhelmed. Saturday night the BF’s had a band playing at Bolado so we had a quiet evening. As soon as it got dark we had our own fireworks show in the ally next to the bar. It was fun but when it was over I realized we were having the quietest July 4^th that I can remember, with the exception of 2006.

Sunday the Northern California Chapter set up camp again with their Custom Springer Softtail on a trailer in front of the bar. Lot’s of raffle tickets were purchased that went to help the Friends of Nevada County Military, a wonderful non profit group that does great things to support the troops and their families in their community.

Our good friend Steamer from the local Marina chapter made a beautiful display case for Wino’s ashes to replace the old one that has been proudly hanging at the front door of the bar for the last twelve years. In Boozefighter style we turned the changing of the case into a full blown event. Coach, also from the Marina chapter meticulously removed everything from the old case so that it could be placed in the new one. I told him that he has the hands of a surgeon. I was a nervous wreck because the picture in the case is the only one that I have of Willie during his July 4^th 1996 visit to Johnny’s. The transfer went off without a hitch. Before putting Wino’s urn into its new home every Boozefighter in the building touched the top of it. It was an emotional and touching moment. Without realizing it I was wiping the tears that threatened to roll down my face. We all toasted Willie with the “Boozefighters Up!” call and the party continued.

The Softtail was supposed to be raffled off at 5:00 p.m.. Because ticket sales had been so successful and our BF’s were real tired it was drawn at 3:00 p.m.. Dago, the only original Boozette I know, pulled the winning ticket. She was hoping it was hers and I was hoping it was mine but the lucky winner was Andy Anderson of Grass Valley California. Things pretty much wound down after the raffle and wesaid a sad goodbye to all of our friends. We look forward to seeing them all again next year as well as all year long.

Charisse Tyson (owner Johnny’s Bar & Grill)

Roadshow Magazine - Podcast Interview with Charisse!

2009-07-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

Charisse is live at www.roadshowmagazine.com/podcast

Listen to this great interview conducted by Rupert Piston of Cartoon Thunder, on June 30th - just before the 4th of July weekend. And get the straight scoop from Charisse about the rally, the City and some good ol' history, too!

Without Rally This Year - Repeat of 2006

2009-06-11T23:20:00.000-07:00

The following is a Letter to the Editor at The Pinnacle Newspaper, a local Hollister publication.

Without A Rally Will We See A Repeat of 2006

A reporter for one of our local papers came by Johnny’s to ask me about the fourth of July but I was out. He didn’t miss anything because I decided after my last interview that I would never do another one. I have been misquoted or have my words taken out of context. If my opinion matters at all I’d like to give it in my own words. I thankfully have a historic business that the Boozefighters and many other bikers will make the pilgrimage to, rally or no rally. What about the other businesses? The gas stations, hotels, grocery stores and many others that will feel the sting of the loss of the only event in Hollister that drew upwards of a hundred thousand visitors in a three day period, all those wonderful people with plenty of money to spend in our town. Some one per center motorcycle clubs showed up too. Does one percent mean the same thing to you that it does to me? What about the other 99%? Our police chief has used fear tactics for years to convince our city council members and city manager that he must spend close to $120,000.00 a day for law enforcement for our three day event. The two factions that he is most concerned about live right here in each others own back yards 365 days a year. They have no reason to wait until our motorcycle rally to have a clash. Common sense says that it would not be wise on their part. Law enforcement costs for the rally weekend have put it out of business. I don’t blame Chief Miller. He is doing what he honestly believes in his heart is necessary. If the cities safety was my responsibility and you gave me a blank check and said the sky’s the limit I’d probably go a little overboard myself.

You would think just one of our five elected council members would have the gumption to do a little research, look at the track record and dissect the law enforcement bill to figure out where cutbacks could be implemented. What about the helicopter that flies over head multiple times a day and night? Is that really necessary? I wonder how much it costs tax payers every time the helicopter leaves the pad. I’m surprised so many down town residents are supportive of the rally considering what they have to put up with. Why not send the helicopter out once a day for a head count and have it on stand by for an emergency. I will never be convinced that the reason we have not had any violent altercations during any of our rallies is because of the outlandish expenditures on law enforcement for the event. I have had the privilege of visiting with a lot of these dedicated officers and they are bored to tears. They don’t even understand why so many of them are here.

I believe that our city council has finally done it. They have finally killed the rally. The only city council member that ever went out of his way to save it was Robert Scattini. I also believe that he was the only council member with the business sense to see what the rally means to Hollister. He initiated putting together the 2006-2007 Hollister Motorcycle Rally Committee that I chaired and he was a dedicated member. It was the first time that the rally did not lose money in three years. It didn’t make a lot of money either. We had a dedicated promoter and many wonderful volunteers that helped to pull it off despite the huge law enforcement costs. It was a daunting task. The committee gave oversight on all issues and helped Horsepower Promotions make the 2007 rally a successful one. The committee stepped aside and let the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce take our place for the 2008 rally. That did not go real well. The Chamber was not aware of what they were getting into and they never called upon the many volunteers waiting to help. The Chamber was overwhelmed and uninformed and the rally died.

For the rally to work a few things would have to take place. The Hollister Downtown Association, San Benito County Chamber of Commerce and our city would have to get together and work hard with help from an experienced promoter. Our council would have to come up with a reasonable law enforcement budget. (No promoter is going to get involved in a rally if they are expected to hand over $350,000.00 for law enforcement costs.) The council came up with this figure not taking into consideration the money that is brought in from business licenses, permit fees and sales tax. Not to mention our entire economy being stimulated. Wake up please!

With that said I’m praying that we will not have a repeat of 2006. That was last time the city council canceled the rally. The CHP was called in to see to it that bikers and motorists alike did not want to venture out onto our streets or highways for fear of being ticketed for any minor infraction. Even bicyclists were ticketed all over town. Rumor has it, and I wouldn’t know for sure since no investigative reporting was done on the subject, that over eleven hundred tickets were doled out that weekend. I talked to numerous people that were sited for everything from not putting both feet down at a stop, something that would not get a second glance on June fourth, to having regulation tinted windows believed to be too dark. They beat those tickets. I would not be at all surprised to find that the city lost money on the citations given out that weekend because most were found to be ungrounded. Our courts were bogged down with cases that were dismissed. That might be another subject worthy of investigation.

On Friday June 30^th (the Fourth of July fell on a Tuesday) I started out having a wonderful day. I thought, “Great! Just as I thought, people are going to show up anyway.” By 3:00 in the afternoon the word was out. Don’t go to Hollister. There are more cops there than civilians and they are ticketing everyone. People in their own driveways who started their engine before putting on their seat belts were not exempt to the tyranny. It was a total embarrassment to me as a citizen of this fair city. Did I say fair? Maybe not. The bar phone started ringing off the hook. People from San Francisco to Santa Barbara were asking if it was true that everyone was being ticketed. It would have been better for my business to have lied to them but I could not. I’m not that kind of person. The weekend was a disaster. Many businesses lost thousands of dollars. What did Hollister gain from this experience? I’m hoping the sense to not let it happen again. In 2006 the city made money from vendors that set up on private property. In 2009 they won’t make a dime. In these tough economic times the powers that be in Hollister dealt us yet another blow. Will they learn anything from this experience? We will see. I’m not putting my money on it. If what I’m hearing is correct we will see a lot of motorcycle riders who don’t believe in breaking tradition. I’m hoping to see thousands of them. Our city decided not put out the welcome mat. Let’s hope they don’t compound it with a KEEP OUT sign. If you are one of the people that felt victimized instead of protected in July of 2006 I urge you to call, write or email your city council members and tell them that we will not stand quietly by and be harassed and made to look like fools.

Yours truly, Charisse Tyson

4th of July in Hollister!

2009-06-06T03:41:00.000-07:00

In the midst of our preparations for what promises to be a ROCKIN' 4th of July weekend this year, we wanted to reach out to all you bikers and enthusiasts and hear your comments about what is, and is not, officially happening this year in Hollister.

What about the City's "de-sanctioning" (a term we've heard around town) of this year's motorcycle rally?

How do the folks who have attended the previous years' rallies feel about it? And of course there are the local people - residents and businesses - what does it mean for them?

Are your friends and fellow bikers talking about this?

Could this year signal a return to a more traditional way of recognizing and celebrating the birthplace of the American biker - Where It All Began?!

After all, people are still going to be coming to downtown Hollister, and people are still looking for alternatives like the Gypsy Tour Motorcycle Classic at Bolado Park for places to enjoy their time, spend their money and have fun!

We'll have more information for you as the weekend draws closer. And we would sure like to hear your opinion.

"Johnny's Hollister Idol" by Tambra

2009-05-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone...
Thought you might like this little poem I wrote and posted on facebook :)
Based on a weekly ordeal Cathy and I face every week...to go...or not to go. haha!!! And then the never easy decision..WHAT to wear!
Anyhow..
Thought you might enjoy it.
HUGS
Tambra.

"Johnny's Hollister Idol"

Karaoke, gawkers, dancers, drinkers singles on the hunt...
Some of Hollisters finest are hanging around out front...
A place indeed where everyone knows your name..
You might wonder why we head there, Thus goes our game.......

While you are in the shower put your voice to the test...
Do your hair and your makeup...Oh, forget about the rest.
Try on a million shirts amid the shrieks and screams...
Grab your dancin' shoes and your fave pair of jeans.

Drive across town to meet all your karaoke buds,
Enjoying a glass of wine or a beer with lottsa suds.
We dance and sing to songs we haven't heard in years.
We seem to HEAR good when we SING all those beers...

Karaoke @ Johnny's the way to end a long week
Dance, relaxing and laughing is exactly what we seek.
Cowboys, Bikers and Hollister girls sing their favorite tune,
A bunch of crazy "Johnny Idols" just howling at the moon...

See ya there..or BE Square :)))
Don't know the way?..Follow the topless mitsibishi with the C.ville pumpkin bumper sticker!! That will be me and Cathy en route!!!! Come see what all the fuss is about ...lol.

Tambra Nunley
Posted:
May 14, 2009

We at Johnny's, without a doubt, adore our people!

Update on Wolfy

2009-05-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to say that I got to have a visit with Wolfy while he was home on a two week leave.

SSGT Basillo showed up Friday night with Wolfy in tow and was I thrilled to see them both. The Sarge was nice enough to let Wolfy spend the night at Johnny's so I could take him out on the town. I called his daddy Jonny to share the good news that his son was in town. He dashed right over when he was done working. We took Wolfy out for a couple of beers. I had to break Jonny's heart when he asked if his son was home for good. I told him that Wolfy was only here on leave was leaving the next day. I felt like I'd stabbed him in the heart. He's proud of his boy though. He had a nice evening of bonding and they said their goodbyes. For those of you who haven't read the Delta boys blog I'll tell you where our guys have been. In nine short months they have been to Wisconsin, Bangor-Maine, Dallas-Texas, and Chicago-Illinois just in the United States. They've been to Ireland, Germany and Kuwait. Their tour in Iraq has taken them to Tikrit, Kirkuk, Mosul, Bayji, Ramadi, Fallujah and Balad. I'm exhausted just writing it all down. Remember to keep our troops in your prayers. When the home coming is approaching we will let you know. There is going to be one heck of a party at Johnny's.

Memorial Update

2009-04-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

We had a blast dedicating the monument to Willie. Wino's three surviving children, Patricia, Billy Clyde and Terrie joined us as well as grandchildren Dusty, Jessie and Megan. It was a thrill to have the family with us for this great celebration. This was Pat's first visit to Hollister and I think she was a little blown away by the impact her father had on the motorcycle riding community. To her, Wino was just Dad. Her folks were fun loving people who had lots of parties with a lot of wild and crazy bikers in attendance. I would loved to have had more time to pick her brain for what I'm sure would be some very interesting stories. This was Terrie's third visit I think. She and I have enjoyed many lively conversations. She is the youngest of the clan and has many great memories. Billy Clyde had not been back since he came in 1996 with Wino. From what I hear he had to be talked into coming with his dad back then. I know he's thrilled to have made the last trek to Hollister that his father would enjoy. There were not as many Boozefighters in attendance as we would have liked to have seen but apparently there were scheduling issues. The Northern California chapter was having their big annual Spring party on April 11th and since it was the Saturday before Easter many of the members had family weekend plans.

I had the privilege of being invited to the Boozefighters National Convention in Reno last weekend. My bartender, Kat and I hitched a ride with Tick's bride Nina. She and Coach's wife Cheryl were great travel companions. We all had a great time and Kat and I were treated like royalty. It was a ball being in a casino surrounded by green and white shirts. I hope they have it there next year. I'm in if they do. I got to meet Boozefighters from all over the country and had many great conversations about Boozefighter history. There is talk of having a re dedication during the fourth of July weekend that more Boozefighters can take part in. It will be tough getting all of the family back here. Patricia is missing a hip. Getting around is a tough task much less making a long road trip. There is the funds issue too but God willing we will pull it off. The Boozefighters are a determined bunch.

Speaking of the fourth of July. Yes it's true our unimaginative, wimpy city council has canceled our rally again. The exorbitant and unnecessary costs of law enforcement keep our rally from being a profitable one and neither our city manager or city council are willing to do anything about it. Sorry folks, I call them like I see them. If I had the time to be on the council I would see to it that the only event that brings more than 100,000 people to town every year becomes and stays a successful one. The council would love to see it stay as long as it didn't involve any work on their part and they aren't required to keep a lid on law enforcement costs. I don't even want to get started on that one. ANYWAY, the party will go on at Johnny's July 2-5 2009. The Northern California chapter of the Boozefighters will have a Charity Bike Raffle on Sunday July 5th @5:00 p.m. at Johnny's. We plan on seeing lots of bikers fourth of July weekend. The bar will open at 7:00 a.m. Friday July 3rd through Sunday July 5th. You don't want to miss this party!

Historical Monument erected to honor Wino Willie

2009-04-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

On Saturday April 4th the Monterey Viejo chapter of E Clampus Vitus erected a historical monument to honor "Wino" Willie Folkner. If you don't know who he was you are either real new to the biker community or you've been hiding under a rock. We had a real good time with our Clamper pals and the Boozefighters that showed up to witness the occasion. It was a real interesting procedure to witness.

I will have all of the details for you after the dedication this Saturday April 11th. I enjoyed my visit with Terry, Wino's daughter most of all. She had so many great stories to share. One day I'll pick her brain and we'll write a book together. Come on down Saturday for a roaring good time with lots of Boozefighters and Clampers, there's a wild combo. There will be plenty of ice cold beer, a great BBQ and lots of photo opportunities. You won't want to miss this party.

Wolfy Update!

2009-02-28T17:09:00.000-08:00

Email from our guys in Iraq direct to Johnny's - very cool stuff! We received this note today along with the 3 photos.

"Hello Johnny's,
Sorry some of the pics are taking so long just really busy here. Wolfy has been all over from Wisconsin,Maine,Illinois, Ireland to Kuwait. Here in Iraq Wolfy has been running patrols in Tikrit,Kirkuk,Mosul,Balad,Bahji,Tahji,Ramadi,and Falluja.. Wolfy is doing well and is our good luck charm. We have survived GUN FIRE,RPG, and IED attacks from the insurgents. Wolfy is now a combat vet.. All the guys are doing well and hang in here just counting down to go home to our families. We are all sad to here about BUD MAN our prays go out to his family. I will send more when I get a chance the Internet here is really slow and takes forever to attach pics to the emails. Thanks for letting us use him. Hope to be home soon to have a beer with all of you guys a Johnny's."

We are thankful for your service and for taking your valuable time to keep us updated! Stay safe guys! & go Wolfy!

City Council Backs Out of 2009 Rally

2008-11-18T20:53:00.000-08:00

Well folks they’ve done it again. The Hollister City Council has cancelled our rally once more. There are some diehards like myself that would like to believe that there is still hope but after thirteen years of fighting for this rally I’m getting a little weary.

With the help of a couple of rally faithfuls, both that run non-profits that benefit from the rally, we circulated and collected seventy surveys to businesses asking how they felt about the rally. Sixty of the returned surveys were pro-rally with many suggestions about what people would like to see changed. Two were neutral and seven were solid no’s. The no people all said the same thing. If it costs the taxpayers it’s not worth it. They were also clear that it inconvenienced them or did not benefit them.

To all of you no’s out there and our city council I say, “Can’t you see the big picture?” The rally is Hollister heritage. We are the birthplace of the American Biker. Our history speaks for itself. Turning your back on your town's heritage because you can’t seem to figure out how to put on a rally that is financially viable is ludicrous. Every year the city council debates if we should have a rally. If they would have fully embraced it thirteen years ago we would have a rally that rivals Sturgis by now. There are as many people in the city of San Jose as there are in the entire state of South Dakota. Local law enforcement certainly would not like to see 200,000 people descend upon us. I think we already have more than enough officers on hand every year to handle the situation.

Our chief and the council are very worried about a Hells Angel – Mongel altercation. They have been bucking heads all over the place so I agree that we do need to be prepared. It should not however keep us from having a rally. Sturgis has the Outlaws, Sons of Silence and the Angels to deal with but their rally continues. Laughlin had a shoot out between the Angels and the Mongols for pity sake and still did not cancel their rally. We have had twelve rallies and one non-rally without an altercation. I believe it was 2005 when the two rivals had a stare down. To hear Mayor Emerson tell the story, it took every cop in town including the Highway Patrol to keep the clubs apart. I have talked to many people between the ages of 25 and 85 that were there during “the incident” and they tell quite a different story. Yes it was great that law enforcement was there. Their presence kept things under control. The way they have blown what happened out of proportion to scare the public is just wrong. I’m sure things look different through cop’s eyes than bystanders but there is quite a discrepancy in the stories. If I lived in the kind of fear that the chief does about these clubs I would never sleep at night.

I’m thrilled to say that my trust is in a higher place and God has been taking darn good care of us at Johnny’s for thirteen years. A favorite Proverb of mine is 29:25 which says,”The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever leans on trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord is safe and set on high.” Yes I know bad things happen to good people and it is a crazy world we live in but living in fear is not an option for me. Putting my personal fears and interests before others is not my way either. If I was truly the only business that benefited from the rally I would certainly not continue to fight for it. I know I am not because of my surveys and the many conversations I had with business owners that didn’t take the time to fill one out. I left reminder cards about the Monday night meeting with every business. How many do you suppose showed up? Very few! The complacency of people who say they care is a real irritation to me. If the Hollister Motorcycle Rally is truly dead it isn’t because I didn’t do everything that I could to keep it going. Let’s all pray for a miracle. It would have to be a miracle that involved some serious cash.

Thank you for your time,
Charisse

New Sign

2008-09-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

The Booze Fighters came through for us again. When our old A frame sign mysteriously disappeared it was replaced by a wonderful new one donated by our guys in San Diego. ?

AKA Frogman to us and Charlie Bailey Jr. AKA Rebel accompanied by Dozzer delivered the new sign Thursday 8-30th. We had a great time together. Dozzer acted like he owned the place. We always look forward to visits from our Boozefighter Buddies and it's great when they bring presents like our new sign.

Thanks again fella's. We can't wait to see you again.

Delta Company & Wolfy

2008-09-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

We have some great friends at Johnny's that are headed for Iraq. The Delta Company 1st/ 185 Brigade Combat Team all met at Johnny's on August 11th for a send off party. Here's a slideshow link to the party pics. Since we were having new carpet and linolium installed the party was held on our patio. I decided that Wolfy our Johnny's mascot who has been on a variety of road trips with Johnny's personel should go along for a big adventure. Wolfy has been to Oregon with Sylvia, Santa Maria for a bike show with me and Sacramento for a great wedding. This trip will be hard to top. The Delta team will be taking him more places than I can mention on the way to Iraq. He will be accomanied by SFC Cole, SSGT Basilo, SSGT Mendoza, SGT Le, SGT Preston, SP4 Fuentes, SP4 Mctyre and SP4 Ramirez. They have promised to look out for Wolfy as well as their team and keep us updated with photos and stories. I am hoping that this blog site will be a good way to keep track of our guys and keep up on how they are doing. This is the second and even third tour for some of them. We can not thank them enough for their dedication to our beautiful country. We should all be praying for their safety and welfare. I am looking forward to pictures and updates soon.

God Bless you guys and God Bless America.

July 4th and the 2008 rally

2008-07-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hi there everyone. Sorry it took so long to write an update. I got caught up from a couple of killer weeks and then was floored when my mother in law had a major stroke. She seemed perfectly healthy the day before then boom. She's getting better every day but still can not talk or eat. All prayers are appreciated.
So how was the fourth of July weekend and the rally? Absolutely fantastic! My crew agrees that all in all it was the best rally we have ever had. We have made more money in the past but it has never gone as smoothly. The people that came to Johnny's were wonderful. Law enforcement was even great. They came through often to check ID's but were always pleasant and stopped to visit with people and make them feel comfortable. I had a real nice visit with DOJ the Friday night of the rally and they agreed with us. They felt that people were really nice and enjoyable. I was surprised when they said that they liked it better when the motorcycles were on San Benito Street. It surprised me because I know the intensity level is much lower without the bikes right out front. I know that most, if not all businesses on San Benito like the new setup much better. People forget that there was no room to walk and not only was it claustrophobic but dangerous before. I am really praying for motorcycle parking only on East Street. A few blocks of nothing but motorcycles will make everyone happy. I believe that our rally will just get better and better. And how about the date change that so many folks were worried about? I found that more locals were upset about the rally not being on the fourth of July weekend than visitors. People spend the fourth with their families doing fireworks and having BBQ's. I saw just as many people as I always do during a rally and they were all having a great time. I got the extra bonus of having all of my Boozefighters on the fourth of July weekend. They got to park right in front of the bar and they didn't have to wait in line to get in which made them happy. They had a wonderful tribute to Gil Armas one of the first Boozefighters that passed away recently. My patio was so full of Boozefighters that I couldn't even get to it. I had to watch the tribute from the ally. Gil came to Johnny's for most of the rallies since the 1996 pre-rally. He will be sorely missed. To sum it all up we had two great weekends at Johnny's. I thought Seth Dalton from Horsepower Promotions and the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce did a great job. They could not have done it without all of the wonderful volunteers and I want to give a shout out to all of them. As with anything there is always room for improvement. Every year I learn something new to do to make things better. Feel free to email me or Seth and the chamber with your thoughts and ideas. Just keep things on a positive note please. Upbeat suggestions are much better received than complaints and criticisms. Later, Cat

Jeana's Party

2008-06-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

A great time was had by all Friday night. We celebrated Jeana's birthday. She has been with us since day one and she is a huge blessing to Johnny's. Her brothers all flew in from back east. We had a great meal that included Paul's famous barrel BBQ, my award winning chili and salad and bread wooped up by our Rey. The cake was great as long as you didn't consume one of the balloons. I'm still trying to get the black off of my tongue. We drank purple hooters and sang Karaoke. Some of our Boozefighter buddies even showed up. The new recruit did all the dishes for us. He didn't let dish pan hands keep him from singing a song with me. I can't tell you what we sang and I'm at a loss to remember his name. Too many purple hooters I guess. My feet swelled up so bad that I couldn't get my boots on to sing my standard birthday song. I couldn't let Jeana's 50th birthday go by without doing it so I sang These Slippers Are Made for Walking. It was wayyy too much fun. Check out our website to see the rest of the pictures.

Rally Questions

2008-06-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe it's time for another rally. Time flys when you're havin fun. I get asked the same questions over and over again so I thought I'd try to answer them here and see if we can't spread the word. Why did they move the rally from the fourth of July weekend? There are a couple of reasons. First of all the extra law enforcement is a heck of a lot easier to obtain when our gig is not the same weekend as every other city's in the state. Most cities large or small are having their own fourth of July celebration and do not want to send their man power over here. There are way too many cops anyway, you say. Yes I know but that is not about to change. The folks in Sturgis were all saying the same thing when I was there a couple of years ago. I didn't think there were as many police in Sturgis as we have in Hollister and yet everyone was complaining about the police presence. Don't get me wrong. I too think we have more police than are necessary. Complaining about it isn't going to change a darn thing. Last year with the change of venue it was really a lot more enjoyable experience. I thought our men in blue were quite pleasant for the the most part. They were shaking hands and having conversations with everyone. It was real nice. That brings me to another waa waa. Why did they take the bikes off of San Benito Street? There are many businesses downtown that are not biker bars. They did not enjoy the exhaust in their buildings. They found the people leaning up against their windows, putting footprints on their walls and squashing all of their plant life to be a unpleasant experience. The venders on San Benito Street made the rally more local business friendly. When business is happy everybody is happy. The food vendors are being moved to the grass area at the corner of fourth and San Benito Streets. Rumor has it there will be benchs to sit on and even a little shade. Motorcycle VIP parking will be on Fifth Street where the food vendors were. This rally promises to get better every year with Seth Dalton working with our city and our chamber of commerce. Who knows maybe next year they will take my advice and make East Street biker parking only. I know how much you all miss seeing the motorcycles in one spot and strutting your stuff on your Harleys.

By moving off of the fourth we also have an opportunity to get bigger and better sponsors. This year Jack Daniels is on board. Bigger sponsors means more money. More money means bigger and better entertainment. So come on down and have a great time. Those of you who don't want to skip the fourth of July tradition should come anyway. We plan on having two great party weekends back to back at Johnny's. Our Boozefighters will be in town for the fourth of July weekend. We love our Boozefighters. We have a new tribute to Wino Willie that you should check out. We will be open at 7:00 a.m. Friday through Sunday both weekends. Come on down and park your bikes right in front of the bar on the 4th!

The First Post

2008-06-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome everyone to the new blog for Johnny's! We look forward to seeing you here often as we continue to post the "latest and greatest" about the Hollister Motorcycle Rally, local biker stuff, happenings here at the bar and STORIES!

Your enjoyment of the blog is what we're aiming for, and we also invite you to participate with any cool contributions you might have in the way of comments, pictures, video, stories, etc.

Best Regards!

Staff