Looking Back

by Gary Klinker

Our ABATE of Wisconsin 50th Anniversary gives us a chance to look back at where we have come from in all that time. Most of the remembrances will be of events and accomplishments but we should also remember the people who made those things happen. Fifty years of friendships and relationships have brought us to this point. The board members, the regional officers, the members and the legislators and bureaucrats we have worked with over the years are all a part of how we got here and who we are as an organization.

I was not in ABATE from the beginning, but I was active from 1974 in Wisconsin Better Bikers Association. WBBA got many of us in western and central Wisconsin active in fighting for our rights as motorcyclists. Dick and Bob Smith ran a good organization. Our long-time friend Dave Zien was an officer. Clubs from all over this part of the state were very active. I still have friends from those days, many of them from the Free Riders in Eau Claire. Their annual bike show was a huge event. I joined ABATE at one of their bike shows where Business Agent and future Executive Director Hi Cutting, was working an ABATE booth.

Shawn and I got active quickly, working with regional Rep Tom Jesse to organize what was called the Midwest Region before we had the numbering system in place. We soon replaced Tom as regional reps with Shawn doing most of the work as I was driving over the road at that time and was only around on weekends. Those weekends were mostly for traveling around to events and sleeping on the ground. It is how we met Buck and Carolyn and soon became friends for life.

In the spring of 1988, I decided to get trained as a motorcycle instructor to promote riding safety and as a way to help keep the government off our backs. Troll was a big part of that, and we worked together for many years.

Just a few of the other regional reps around that time were Booger in La Crosse, Bubba in Eau Claire, Bug in Sheboygan, Dan Day in PDC, Polack in Slinger, Etta in Neenah, John Slezis in Madison, King Fish in Calumet, Small in Green Bay, Pan in Milwaukee, Knuck in Jefferson, and Shark in Racine.

I was elected Executive Director in the fall of 1989. It was a time of change for ABATE. We were moving more into a truly state-wide organization. Our business practices and funding were somewhat lacking. I knew that if we were going up against the state and its bureaucracies, we had to be above reproach and legal or we would be vulnerable. Getting that done now sounds fine, but at the time there were a lot of members who saw no need for it. It was a contentious time.

Some of the board members at that time who helped accomplish the goals were Bob Sherman, Bill Allen, Buck, Shawn, Marlene Pezewski, Pam Buchda, Jeff Henning, and Jane Rufus. Pat Felch and Bruce Larson were both treasurers around that time and they were both key to making us a more businesslike organization. Marlene Pezewski was the membership director and has the distinction of using ABATE’s first computer. Little John Chaput was the Newsletter Editor. It was run off on an old drum type copier and stapled together by volunteers.

I know there were many more key people who I have not mentioned or remembered, but that’s how old memories work. I mentioned contentious times. Let those who ride decide did not work for everyone. At one meeting another board member berated and ranted at me for wearing a helmet. Our 1990 state election was a very contentious time. If you think this year’s national elections have the country polarized, you should have been here in ’90. After it all, ABATE pulled together, got united, and moved on to be the premier MRO that we are today. We have become a leader in the United States and a prime mover in the MRF. We owe it all to the people who gave their time, energy, and expertise to this organization over the last 50 years. See you in Madison.

Ride Safe,

Gary