Riding on Slauson looking for Crenshaw, turned down the sound to ditch the law.

Growing up in LA, you were either a WCA person, or a KSN person. Despite the fact that one of my first times bombing was with a WCA legend, Miner One, I was always partial to KSN. Still am.

BBQ and Bikes. 

If you haven't read "Soul On Bikes", I suggest you purchase it. It's a great document of the longest running all black, all Harley motorcycle club in the country, the East Bay Dragons MC, Oakland.

Which to some in the 'sickle community is tantamount to this...

The future. Los Feliz carnival. Everything.

The past.

The Grammy's, 1984

And no, Michael didn't "touch it", but I did have to walk Webster to the bathroom. (Even though he was older than me)  

Brooke Shields was there, but she must have been in the ladies room. This was years after nothing was coming between her and her Calvins and 20 years before Lipstick Shithole. 

If you could pan down you would see the 8 trophies on the table that Jacko won for arguably the greatest pop album post-Beatles. 

And if you could pan to the left you would see that the reason I am smiling that smile of 11 year old lust, is that I'm mid conversation with Janet, his baby sister, post Good Times, pre-Nasty Girl.

BTW- My tie and cummerbund are pink. 

Not like I'm breaking the story here, but in the event you didn't know this ruling fact, what do these two bikes have in common besides being the "Billy" and "Capt'n America"?

They were built by Ben Hardy, a black bike builder, based out of South Central Los Angeles.

Just before they took the exhibit down on Easter, I took the family to see Black Chrome, a pretty sick collection of all things black biker history,  photos, leathers, bikes...epic. 

Sensing a theme here?

It was at the California African American Museum, just down a few miles from where Hardy made the Easy Rider bikes, and five blocks from my Grandma's. I didn't have my camera, so thanks to The Vintagent for the shots I snaked. 

Effective immediately, I'm jacking this dude's steez.

Also on display at the museum was a sick collection of Black Panther photos by Howard Bingham. 

This one kills. Kathleen Kleaver, flanked.

Totally unrelated.  Joanna Pettit.  Dreamy.

Rest In Peace, my friend, rest in peace.

Los Angeles and the world will not be the same without you. 

Shawn Mortensen

1966-2009