Cavaliers pay homage to Elvis on road to AIDA

Mike and Doug made a pilgrimage to Graceland on their way to the Tsarus leather club's annual run, AIDA, May 2-4.

The weekend run has been held for 26 years in the hills of Tennessee about 100 miles east of Memphis. Mike and Doug described the countryside as beautiful.

The guys left Wednesday and stayed overnight in Jackson with our friend Michael from the Central Mississippi Gay Bikers group. Then Thursday they rode up to Memphis, especially to pay a visit to America's premiere house of kitsch. They said it was every bit as tacky as they'd hoped. Doug even sneaked past a security guard to get a souvenir photo of Elvis's motorcycle, in an area where flash photography was restricted.

Our boys then rode from Memphis to the run site near Jackson, TN. Because of the distance, the guys trailered their bikes most of the trip, but Doug rode his Honda Shadow from Memphis to the run site. After arriving at the run site, the guys set up camp, then hopped on their bikes and rode around the rural roads in the area. They said they had a blast riding all the hills and the curves.

Mike and Doug weren't the only New Orleanians present at AIDA. Phoenix bar owner Jamie, and AIDA veteran, was also in attendance, as was Phoenix bartender Erick. Jamie hosted a *bleep*tail party during the run, and Mike and Doug donated 25 Cavaliers cups for the occasion to help get the word out about our group.

The guys spent part of Saturday doing the motorcycle events, which primarily consisted of a slow race, the winner being the person who covers the distance in the greatest amount of time without stopping.

Many other motorcyclists were on hand at the run, primarily our Texas friends in the Battalion Motorcycle Corps. Mike and Doug used the occasion to talk up our club, and the guys in Battalion seem to be very eager to plan some joint events with our group. That could really be a lot of fun.

The boys said that after nightfall things got particularly frisky, what with all those hot men around with all that time on their hands. They said that things got very kinky, but you'll have to get the details from them. Just ask about all the shocking sounds.

Our guys packed up and headed home early Sunday morning, missing the severe weather that hit the area later that day. Tornados raced through Jackson and much of Tennessee, Kansas and Missouri, causing substantial damage. Erick said that when the storms came through they caused minor damager at the AIDA run site, destroying the shower area and sucking everything out of Jamie's pop-up camper except his TV set. We were relieved to hear that none of the AIDA participants were injured. Erick said the tornado damage in Jackson was so severe the town was closed off and they had to take back roads to get around it and get home.

Our guys made it home in time for Sunday Trash Disco at Lafitte's as usual, where we plied them for tales of their adventures.