Name/Title
Magazine, Easyriders, Bikers Visit the Waupun Correctional Institution, 1979Description
Bikers visiting the prison. Article in the April 1979 Easyriders. Number 70, Vol. 9. Note: Only those portions that dealt with Waupun, or Wisconsin Correctional Institution are scanned and included.
BROTHERHOOD
FOR OUR PEOPLE INSIDE
BROTHERHOOD IS NOT JUST A PAT ON THE BACK IN A BAR ON SATURDAY NIGHT. BUT WHAT YOU SEE LAID OUT ACROSS THE NEXT FEW PAGES IS AN EXPRESSION OF BROTHERHOOD.
FEATURED HERE ARE THREE PRISON BIKE SHOWS FROM ACROSS THE MIDWEST. THEY ALL BEGAN ON THE INSIDE, BUT IT TOOK THE SUPPORT, LOYALTY, AND LOVE FOR FELLOW BIKERS ON THE OUTSIDE TO BRING OFF EACH EVENT. PUTTING TOGETHER A PRISON SHOW IS NOT AN INTRICATE TASK BUT, DEPENDING ON THE PRISON OFFICIALS, FROM THE INSIDE IT CAN BE AS DIFFICULT AS ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB SOME OF THOSE TALL, GREY WALLS.
BASICALLY, IT'S A PR JOB. A DEDICATED INMATE MUST INTRODUCE THE IDEA TO A HELPFUL OFFICIAL OR THE RECREATION OFFICER AND SLOWLY CONVINCE HIM THAT A CUSTOM BIKE SHOW WOULD BE A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR AND WOULD NOT POSE A THREAT TO SECURITY, THE OFFICIAL'S POSITION, OTHER INMATES, ETC. THE OFFICIAL MUST BE ASSURED OF THE EVENT'S POSITIVE EFFECTS, WHILE ALSO BEING SATISFIED THAT NOTHING WILL GO WRONG. AT THIS POINT, THERE BEGINS A LONG WAIT FOR PERMISSION FROM THE WARDEN TO START THE ENDEAVOR.
ONCE PERMISSION IS GRANTED, THE BROTHERS INSIDE CAN BEGIN MAKING CONTACT WITH SHOPS, CLUBS, OR BIKE ORGANIZATIONS ON THE OUTSIDE FOR
THEIR COOPERATION. ONCE THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED AND SUPPORT PROMISED, A CONTACT MAN ON THE OUTSIDE, THE MAIN MAN ON THE INSIDE, AND AN ASSIGNED PRISON OFFICIAL WILL THEN GET TOGETHER TO IRON OUT THE DETAILS OF THE SHOW: TIME, DATE, PRISON RULES, NUMBER OF BIKES, SECURITY CHECKS ON PARTICIPANTS, AND SO ON. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WORKING TOGETHER UNTIL THE DAY OF THE SHOW. EVERY SHOW WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT WAS AN IMMENSE SUCCESS.
AN' ONCE ALL THE PISSIN' AND MOAN IN' ABOUT SECURITY FORMS, DEADLINES, AND PRISON REGS ARE OUTTA THE WAY, AND THE BIKES ARE ROLLING INTO THE YARD UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYES OF THE INSTITUTION'S CHAIN OF COMMAND, THERE'S ONLY ONE MORE OBSTACLE AND THE SHOW'S A SUCCESS. IF THE SHOW COMES DOWN LIKE ALL THE OTHERS - WITHOUT A HITCH -THEN THE GATES HAVE BEEN OPENED FOR FUTURE BIKE SHOWS AND EVENTS.
IT'S A MATTER OF DEDICATION ON THE INSIDE, A DECENT RAPPORT WITH THE NECESSARY OFFICIALS AND BROTHERS ON THE OUTSIDE, AND BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER SUCCESSFULLY. THE RESULT IS ONE HELLUVA GOOD TI M E FOR A LOT OF DAMN GOOD PEOPLE IN THE JOINT.
-BANDIT
WAUPUN, WISCONSIN
WAUPUN, WISCONSIN
IMAGINE 62 CUSTOM CYCLES ROARING FULL THROTTLE THROUGH A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON. IMAGINE THE EXERCISE YARD FULL OF RESIDENTS- YET ONLY A FEW GUARDS WALKING AROUND. IMAGINE A FULL DRESS STROKER HOG DOING BURNOUTS. IMAGINE THE INMATE BAND PLAYING TUNES ALL DAY LONG WHILE EVERYONE MINGLES AND RAPS. SOUND LIKE I TOOK ONE TOO MANY TOKES? NO, THIS ALL ACTUALLY TOOK PLACE LAST JUNE 10 AT WAUPUN STATE PRISON IN WAUPUN, WISCONSIN.
ABATE OF WISCONSIN SET IT ALL UP, WORKING WITH GEORGE SMULLEN, WHO IS THE ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR AT THE PRISON. WE RECEIVED FULL COOPERATION, AND PLANS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY FOR A BIGGER AND BETTER SHOW NEXT YEAR.
BIKERS BEGAN TO GATHER FRIDAY NIGHT, JUNE 9, AT BAZAAR CYCLES IN FOND DU LAC, WISCONSIN, WHERE JOHN BARAJAS, ABATE COORDINATOR, HAD BEER AND "TREATS" SETUP. AFTER SOME HEAVY-DUTY PARTYING, WE SETOFF FOR A FARM WHERE WE CAMPED OUT. THE PARTY CONTINUED, AND NOBODY GOT MORE THAN 45 MINUTES SLEEP THAT NIGHT. AS THE SUN SLOWLY CLIMBED IN THE SKY, WE HOOKED IT TO WAUPUN, MEETING OTHER BIKERS ON THE WAY.
AT THE PRISON WE ALL SUBMITTED TO A SEARCH AND ENTERED THE WALLS, TWENTY ATA TIME. AFTER A ROUTINE SPEECH BV THE HEAD SECURITY DUDE, WE CRANKED UP OUR SCOOTS AND MADE ONE HELL OF A NOISE. WE COULD HEAR RESIDENTS CHEERING FROM BEYOND THE GRAY WALLS THAT FACED US. AT A GIVEN SIGNAL, WE DROPPED 'EM INTO FIRST AND ROLLED INTO THE EXERCISE YARD. THE INMATES WERE GOING CRAZY. 62 BIKES ISN'T A BIG THING TO US, BUT IF SURE MADE THEIR DAY. AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE HOW MUCH NOISE SCOOTS CAN MAKE WHEN SURROUNDED BY TWENTY-FOOT HIGH WALLS.
THE AFTERNOON WENT DOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT WITH EVERYONE TAKING IT EASY AFTER DINNER. WE SCARFED THE SAME MEAL THE INMATES GOT THAT DAY, CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE- AND IT WASN'T BAD. SOME OF US OUT OF SHAPE MUTHAS MADE THE MISTAKE OF PLAYING BASEBALL WITH THE INMATES, AND THEY WAXED OUR ASSES. BUT THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR - WE'LL JUST HAVE TO PRACTICE.
THE SHOW WAS A HELLUVA SUCCESS, AND EVERYONE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR's GIG. BEFORE LEAVING, ABATE SHOWED ITS APPRECIATION TO THE AUTHORITIES BY PRESENTING PLAQUES TO GEORGE SMULLEN, WHO WORKED WITH ABATE FOR MONTHS PRIOR TO THE SHOW, AND TO WARDEN THOMAS ISRAEL, WHO WAS WILLING TO GIVE THE IDEA A TRY. HE'S EVEN COMING UP WITH BETTER IDEAS FOR FUTURE SHOWS. ABATE ALSO DONATED A CHECK TO THE PRISON ACTIVITIES FUND TO BE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INMATE GROUP LEADERS.
- AN ABATE BROTHERAcquisition
Accession
2007.0020Source or Donor
James & Harriet LairdAcquisition Method
Gift
