Monday, November 30, 2009

Searching for the Good in Billy Lane

I was surfing youtube today and I typed in Billy Lane. The talent this guy has is incredible. Before he got in trouble with the law and sentenced to time in prison he did do good. I found this video from a few years back. He was on his Blood, Sweat, and Gears tour. I really miss Billy being part of the biker world. I wish that all that happened to him never would have. I wish he would have seen the writing on the wall and avoided it. I've said it time and time again where Billy is concerned...we've all made mistakes in life. Hopefully we all learn from them. Hopefully Billy learned from his and will someday do good again like he did in this video! Hopefully he will be humbled and not hardened. Hopefully he will build again.



Here is part of an archived blog post from 2005 about Kristen and Me and our search for Billy Lane.

Kristen and I hung out at the Full Throttle Saloon everyday searching for Billy Lane. We are both fans of his and we made it our mission to meet him and get our pictures taken with him. For me it was like a spiritual experience of some weird kind. I tried to talk to him but the words just came out very softly. I was shaking as he moved in for the picture and after it was all done and I walked away I started to cry like a little girl. I had met him...the artist who makes the most amazing choppers that I've ever seen. And an added bonus is the fact that he is so incredibly good looking and such a bad boy!

I know that readers of my blog may have some strong opinions about this guy and I understand that totally. I just don't feel I can judge to much since I've driven when I should not have. Why am I blogging about him now, well after the trial has been over...well, it's because I was looking at pictures from Sturgis 2009 and there was an RV with Billy's name on it but no Billy. It just made me sad and made me think of Kris and me in Sturgis, during the 2004 rally, searching for him everyday. I still dig the guy.

IHG :)

6 comments:

Mr. Motorcycle said...

I miss seeing him in the biker community too. Sad.

Kathleen Jennette said...

I miss him too. The big sadness is that a life was taken and can never be replaced. He can still build, and I hope he does. He has great talent, but I do hope his life's talent will mean something more this time around. Sad.

Webster World said...

I'm sure when he gets out he'll go full bore back to building. I just hope he comes out a little more humbled.

Anonymous said...

Time will tell, but it's good to not judge too harshly...I don't know anyone in my circle of friends, myself included, that could cast the first stone guilt free!
I have been in my chair for 31 years now because of a drunk driver, he never made contact with me in all these years to see if I lived or died, but in all honesty I can say this, today, I don't spend any time wishing him ill. Karma has a way of putting everything right, it's not my place.

MHL

Dean "D-Day" said...

An incredibly talently man who led a dangerous life. Too bad that someone had to pay with their life. I loved the bikes but never really cared for the man himself. Hopefully he comes out of this a better and more humbled man.

Judy LaParne said...

Ya know, I cant tell you how sad that made me, as well. This was an educated man, privi to things in the MC world we cant get our hands on and living a bikers dream. Not to mention things like the hubless back tire! Absolutely brilliant! He "was" great to watch, "had" a generous heart and "was" completely careless. Lets hope he comes back better in all respects! But, he "will" be back! Besides...he built a bike called the "street sweeper", or something like that and I hoped he could build it for me in red one day!! hehehe.