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All Limited Editions

233 images Created 4 Aug 2020

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  • After the Storm - Riding to the Drags in Belle Fourche, SD. 1980<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: In 1979, there was flat track racing and hill climbs, but there was no drag strip in Sturgis.  If you wanted to see Pete Hill drag race his Knuckle, you had to ride to Belle Fourche.  It was questionable whether they would be racing on this day as the group of bikers mostly from Boulder left Sturgis’ City Park campground.  Half way to the track, the skies began to clear.  A rainbow appeared just as the sun made the wet pavement and prairie grasses glow.  Free spirits crossed the “Great West”.
    1001 After The Storm.jpg
  • The Line Up. Sturgis, SD. 1993<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1993 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: I’ve always loved the compressed look that a long lens gives to a line of bikes. Their wonderful paint and convoluted chrome reflections reflecting each other.  The bikes are like raw materials waiting to be abstracted into color, shape and form.
    1002 The Lineup.jpg
  • Just Married, Sturgis. SD. 1994<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: I was just an innocent bystander as this wedding procession rode down Main Street.  Is there a side of everyone that wishes they were as unconventional as this couple appears to be?
    1003 Just Married.jpg
  • Puppy and Bear Butte, Sturgis, SD. 1994<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: I have photographed quite a few bikers surfing like this, but on this occasion and in this frame, Puppy exuded the spirit of what biking is all about as he rides his Flathead past Bear Butte. A friend of mine captured that spirit when she looked at this image and said, “Feel the Freedom”.
    1005 Puppy & Bear Butte.jpg
  • iTouch the Wall. Washington DC., Memorial Day, 1995<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1995 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Spirits run high in the Pentagon parking lot on Memorial Day. Tens of thousands of motorcycles parade through the streets of DC, spectators cheering the entire way. By the time we arrived at the wall, the mood, magnified by the rain, had become somber. You could see it in the way people walked, the way they talked, in their faces and in their every gesture.
    1006 Touch the Wall.jpg
  • Early Morning. City Park, Sturgis, SD. 1979<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1979 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: I arrived in Sturgis for my first bike week too late to see the lay of the land but just in time for the all night party that happened every night in City Park.  This then was my first morning in Sturgis.  I woke up not having slept much and assessed the damages, both internally and externally.  What sort of toll did the party take?  There was drag racing down the narrow pavement between the tents, there were campfires, wildness until all hours of the morning and a dreamlike recollection of police cars with lights flashing, screaming through the park in the middle of the night.
    1008 Early Morning.jpg
  • Flames - Parked at the Oasis. Sturgis, SD. 1993<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1993 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: For years, Rat and his buddies parked their flamed choppers seemed to have reserved parking in front of the Oasis Bar. If Rat wasn’t sitting watching the crowds right out front, you knew you could find him inside.
    1011 Flames.jpg
  • Home on the Range. Sturgis, SD. 1988<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1988 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: A bike, a tent, and the open plains.  You and the elements.  Motorcycling teases us with the freedom to be on the road, stop when and where you want to, and slow down and experience the world first hand.  Janice Joplin comes to mind; "Freedom's just another name when you've got nothing left to lose".
    1012 Home on the Range.jpg
  • Lori Dalton Off the Line. Sturgis, SD. 1988<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1988 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: I was impressed.  There was something about the way Lori sat so nimbly on her 500 pound Harley-Davidson, feet barely touching the ground with eyes peering ahead awaiting the green light.  With the crack of her wrist, she lifted the front end off the ground and drove the power to the back tire, twisting and contorting it as it gripped the asphalt to propel her down the strip.
    1013 Off the Line.jpg
  • Storm Rider. North of Sturgis, SD. 1993<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1993 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: The torrential downpour burst in the middle of a concert at a ranch in the hills just north of Sturgis.  Most people stayed put, but some went for it.  The rain turned to hail and and it hurt.  People laugh as they recall being caught like this and the feeling that goes with it.  Like getting punched in the face and wet going right to your core.  It’s anything but funny when you’re in it.
    1014 Storm Rider.jpg
  • The Kiss. Deadwood, SD. 1993<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1993 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: There is nothing like taking a ride with your love.  No other public moment, even dancing, puts a man and woman so close. The wind in your face and exposed to the elements, hard pavement just below. The bond tightens.
    1015 The Kiss.jpg
  • Al Klein, Pres. Antelope Valley Sundowners. CA. 1995<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1995 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Al Klein was president of the Antelope Valley Chapter of the Sundowners Motorcycle Club when I photographed him in his Acton, CA. motorcycle shop.  He may still be the club president but I don't think he still has the shop.  I tried to contact him to send him a print but had no luck; the number has been disconnected and there is no record of the shop.  For a variety of reasons, bikers tend to not leave trails behind them as they move on to a new job or home.  Perhaps, this is why at runs like Sturgis, there is so much excitement on the street as friends greet friends.  It is the one place they know they can find each other.
    1016 Al Klein.jpg
  • Crud, Gary and Their Mom, Mary. Clarinda, IA, 1999<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Clarinda, Iowa is only a few hours from Humboldt so after the Freedom Rally, I stopped to visit Crud and his family.  They were all there when I arrived; his mom Mary, brother Gary (still in uniform from his job at the jail,) kids, in-laws and grandchildren.  We went out back under the large shade tree where it was cooler. Mary surrounded by her two sons, the 1%er and the jailer - She couldn’t be more proud.
    1019 Crud, Gary & Mary.jpg
  • Sloopy, Diablos MC. San Bernadino, CA. 1995<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1995 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: An alternate lifestyle swept Sloopy into a legendary club of outlaws. Although, his lifestyle was raucous, violent, drug ridden and outside the law, he had his father's stability. During the most notorious days of his outlaw youth he worked a steady job for 12 years. Despite the drugs, the dealing, and the death of his father, he remained a stalwart member of his ever changing club for 32 years, only leaving for two years during the mid eighties. "They weren't listening or paying attention to the writing on the wall", Sloopy explained. Family ultimately saved him from the fate of many outlaw motorcyclists. His girl friend of 20 years and now his wife for half a decade, Rose, reined him in from the world of constant drug use before he self-destructed.
    1020 Sloopy.jpg
  • Harley Back Piece. Humboldt, IA. 1999<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Its unique - the Harley logo tattooed on arms, backs, tops of heads, and sensitive areas that don’t see the light of day. It's displayed like a badge of honor and seen as an exclusive club membership. There's a loyalty and pride of ownership that has brand managers at other companies green with envy.
    1024 Harley Back Piece.jpg
  • Heading South on Highway 85. Black Hills, SD. 1999<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Sunday morning, heading through the hills for the last ride of the week.  It's brisk out as you climb, the cool morning air energizing.  South of Deadwood, the road opens up into sweeping curves and you rock back and forth, accelerating out of each turn.  Moving forward, you know where you are going, but at the same time, you are lost in the wonderful journey.
    1025 Heading South on Hwy 85.jpg
  • JR, Sons of Silence MC National President,  Colorado, 1997<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1997 Michael Lichter.
    1026 JR Portrait.jpg
  • Sportster John & Arlene’s Wedding. Evergreen, CO. 1980<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: When Sportster John and Arlene married in Eldorado Springs, CO, the big question was would he still be “Sportster John” even though his bride surprised him with keys to a brand new “Wideglide.” As part of the festivities, we rode to the Little Bear in Evergreen but clouds moved in and we moved out.  The moniker lasted.  The marriage didn’t.
    1028 Sportster John.jpg
  • Suzuki, President Solo Angels MC. Tijuana, Mexico. 1995 <br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1995 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Suzuki liked the glorified hogs, but not the pretentious attitudes of the riders. Although he had none of the trappings of his fellow riders; no money, no Harley, and limited budget for food and drink, he rode along. His nature was different though. He was wild, enjoyed a good drunk and a fistfight. He chased the women, and wore his rags with pride. He soon tired of the Road Angels style and quit. Ultimately he started his own club the Solo Angels. He worked odd jobs for six years and saved for his first and last Harley. In 1968 Suzuki bought a used Sportster and built his first chopper. He raked the frame, extended the front-end, built a set of long upswept fishtails and mounted them to a tall and sharp as a knife sissybar. He dug up the first coffin gas tank to be seen south of the border, bolted on a set of tall buckhorn handlebars and got the most radical paint job in the city. He set the ramshackle town on fire every time he blew through. After almost thirty years, he's still straddling the same machine with his colors. It has been his one and only, his true love. <br />
<br />
By K. Randall Ball, from an interview with Suzuki
    1029 Suzuki, President.jpg
  • Boondocks. Black Hills, SD. 1997<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1997 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: I came across Boondocks late one night in the hills.  Riding around a corner in the middle of nowhere, the beautiful neon appeared in the distance.  A burger and shake called.
    1034 Boondocks.jpg
  • Busted, Daytona Beach, FL. 1992<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1992 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Daytona Beach’s version of the welcome wagon!  The Police cite you for loud pipes, high bars, low seats, showing too much skin or photographing too much skin.  The guy in the window of the bar is just acting out the shared feelings of everyone on the street.
    1035 Busted in Daytona.jpg
  • Burning Bike, Freedom Rally. Humboldt, IA. 1985<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1985 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: In the mid-1980's, the economy was lagging and Harley had just come out of near bankruptcy. There were T-shirts, pins and bumper stickers with anti-Japanese slogans and bike bashes where, for a buck, you could take a sledgehammer to a Honda to take out your aggressions. After they got tired of banging this one, it was hung by a noose and torched.
    1036 Burning bike.jpg
  • Rodeo Sunset,National Finals, Vallejo, CA. 1991<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©1991 Michael Lichter
    1038 Rodeo Sunset.jpg
  • Models on Break, Daytona Beach, FL., 1992<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1992 Michael Lichter
    1039 Models on Break.jpg
  • Bikes Across the Plains. I-90, WY. 1999<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter<br />
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The Story: The plains glisten in the bright western sun while bikes and a dotted line converge in the distance.  A "Stonehenge" like shadow from the overpass marks the land.
    1040 Bikes Across the Plains.jpg
  • Maverick Junction. Riding to Sturgis, 1999<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Truck stops and cafes help me remember my travels.  The journey blends together in a swirl of images and memories but the truck stop is frozen in my mind. I put four gallons in the tank, park and go in for a chicken fried steak. The waitress’s twang and variations in the menu give me a flavor for the land.
    1042 Maverick Junction.jpg
  • Riding the Back Roads, East of Sturgis, SD, 1995<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1995 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: After I finished shooting a pictorial on some Don Hotop bikes, he and his friends set off for Sturgis.  I imagine crossing America looked this way when Harley was a young company and the word "travel" was synonymous with adventure.
    1045 Riding the Back Roads.jpg
  • Zeke, Sturgis, SD.  1997<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1997 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story:  As a club brother underwent chemotherapy for cancer, Zeke shaved his head to let him know he wasn’t alone. It helped. The brother’s negative and self-conscious attitude turned around. Three years later, he was in remission and doing great. Zeke has long since grown his hair back.
    1048 Zeke.jpg
  • Slingin’ Ink, Sturgis, SD, 1996<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1996 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Flash on display, artists at work, machines buzzing. A decision is made that will last a lifetime. They will be open late into the night. The parlor glows, the sun sets, a bike roars down the alley.
    1049 Slinging Ink.jpg
  • Ghost Rider, WY 1981<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: Sometimes, when you're out riding alone, you find yourself side by side with another rider without knowing who they are, where they come from or where they're going.  I figured this person was also heading to Sturgis in 1981, but I’ll never know for sure.  I doubt he has any idea this photo exists; just a scribbled note about a moment in time. With a little nod, I pulled off for gas never to know his identity.
    1050 Ghost Rider.jpg
  • Sturgis at Night, SD. 1998<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1998 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: Some bikers come to Sturgis every August for 10-days, others for just a day or two.  Some come to be spectators or race, others to tour the hills and the Bad Lands. They come to meet up with friends, take in a concert, or just to party. But no matter what brought them to Sturgis, every biker is drawn to Main Street, as if it were the epicenter of the bike world. Riding it has become an annual ritual, without which, the trip wouldn't be complete.
    1051 Sturgis at Night.jpg
  • Needles Highway Slot, Black Hills, SD. 1999<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: During the Sturgis Rally, the bikes become part of the scenery.  I ride the steep, windy roads and pull over repeatedly to scamper up embankments, crawl into ditches or straddle double yellow lines in hopes that a pack, or perhaps a single bike will come through a tunnel, across a bridge or into a rocky slot to complete my vision.
    1052 Needles Highway Slot.jpg
  • Jesse James. Daytona Beach, FL. 2000<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2000 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: The '60s movie “Endless Summer” comes to mind. It's a classic, just like Jesse.  I could see him in the movie, swapping bikes for surfboards and searching the world for the perfect ride, only to be happy to get back home where it can't get any better.  The movie inspired many to follow their passion. Isn’t that Jesse?
    1055 Jesse James.jpg
  • Heat Cells Burn in Rain, Sturgis, SD, 1982<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story: As the Sturgis rally grew and bikers came from further away, the event ran longer.  The craziness that used to be concentrated into two or three days spread out over ten.  When people ask what it was like in the early 80's, I have a lot of stories to offer or I can sum it up by randomly saying “Heat Cells Burn in Rain.”
    1061 Heat Cells Burn.jpg
  • Smokem', Sundance, Wyoming, 1994<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.
    1062 Smokem.jpg
  • Cowboys and Bikers, Sundance, Wyoming, 1994<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.
    1064 Cowboys and Bikers.jpg
  • Masked Woman, Main Street, Sturgis, SD, 1994<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: You never know what you may see on Main Street.  It’s intriguing, and odd at times.  It’s like a show, but don't bring the kids.  Can you help but wonder what they're doing the other 364 days a year?
    1066 Masked Woman.jpg
  • Shovelhead in the Rain, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1987<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1987 Michael Lichter.
    1069 Shovelhead in Rain.jpg
  • Nuclear Burn Out, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1988<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1988 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Being at the track is otherworldly.  I get in close as the tires burn out, the crack of the throttle exceeds what my eardrums can withstand and the rear tire pelts molten rubber all over me and my lenses. The nitro-methane makes me choke and my eyes flood with tears.  Add to this the hundred-degree temperatures and strong sun burning my skin. We love it and that’s why we keep going back for more.
    1072 Nuclear Burnout.jpg
  • Flying the Flag, I-90, South Dakota, 1994. Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.
    1073 Flying the Flag.jpg
  • The Place Your Mother Warned You About. Sturgis, SD. 1996<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1996 Michael Lichter.
    1078 The Place Your Mother.jpg
  • Magoo, Main Street, Sturgis, SD. 1997<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©1997 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Magoo, when not at his shop in Grand Forks, can be found at bike runs all over the country working his tattoo art or just having fun.  The two little dogs inside his leather vest have the meanest growl you can imagine.  Magoo lives the life.
    1079 Magoo.jpg
  • Street Portrait, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1987<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1987 Michael Lichter.
    1081 Street Portrait.jpg
  • Blue Night, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1988<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1988 Michael Lichter.
    1082 Blue Night.jpg
  • Staging before the Start, Sturgis, SD, 1994<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1997 Michael Lichter.
    1085 Staging Before the Start.jpg
  • Gold Tooth, Daytona Beach, FL. 1996<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1996 Michael Lichter.
    1086 Gold Tooth.jpg
  • The Bad Barbies. Bonneville Salt Flats, UT. 1989<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1989 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: The Easyriders’ Streamliner broke the world's land speed record at 322 mph and seven beautiful women who call themselves the "Bad Barbies" appeared out of nowhere. The Bonneville Salt Flats are surreal, but I still wonder who were these women and where did they come from?
    1092 The Bad Barbies.jpg
  • Rodeo Ray, Grand Nationals Rodeo, Villejo, CA., 1991<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1991 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: Ray is a big southern boy that loves to tell a good story.  He traveled the country on the rodeo circuit in an old motor home towing a rickety old trailer filled with trikes and motorcycle parts jutting out in every direction - a rolling junkyard with enough gems to keep his bikes running week after week. The crowd cheers as Ray blasts down the track on his monster trike, living for the fame that come with those seconds. The kids look up to him like a hero.  If he's lucky, he'll win a big silver belt buckle and enough cash to take him down the road to the next rodeo.
    1094 Rodeo Ray.jpg
  • Hells Angels Funeral. Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1981<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.
    1095 Hells Angels Funeral.jpg
  • Property of Paul. Main Street, Sturgis, SD, 1979<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1979 Michael Lichter<br />
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Description: When I first got my “Property Of” buckle, I hated it.  I wasn’t going to wear it so it hung on the back of my chair for 3 weeks. I got the impression that this guy thought he owned me and controlled me but I knew I was a single, independent woman and I wasn’t anybody’s property.  My man wasn’t happy. I didn’t understand that it meant more to him to give me that Buckle than to give me a diamond ring. <br />
<br />
Eventually, I started getting to know more people and realized that if you wore the buckle, you were more respected by the brothers in the club.  It also provides protection, to a certain degree, because people realize you are with a club and they leave you alone.<br />
<br />
I have been wearing my buckle for almost six years now. I feel naked without it.  It’s a part of me and I wear it with pride.  <br />
<br />
Donna on “Property,” 2003
    1096 Property of Paul.jpg
  • Old Guard, Daytona Beach, FL. 1986<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1986 Michael Lichter.
    1098 Old Guard.jpg
  • The Journey, Custer State Park, SD. 2000<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2000 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story:A number of years ago, Harley-Davidson ran a great ad campaign headlined, "It's the Journey, not the Destination." On my bike, the phrase comes to mind like a mantra. Shedding the protective cage, bikers become one with the environment. There’s no sound insulation or climate control separating you from out there. You become one with the stifling heat and one with the freezing cold. You become the road and the destination drifts away.
    1099 The Journey.jpg
  • Street Drags, Beulah, Wyoming, 1995<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©2000 Michael Lichter.
    1102 Street Drags.jpg
  • Helmet Protest, Daytona Beach, FL. 1985<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1985 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story:You feel a different kind of strength when you ride a motorcycle and when you ride in a pack, that strength becomes sheer power.  You are seen, your voice is heard and you feel invincible.<br />
<br />
After years of protest, hard work and lobbying, on July 1, 2000, the law was changed so that it was no longer mandatory for bikers to wear a helmet in Florida.
    1104 Helmet Protest.jpg
  • Riding Into the Weir's, Laconia, NH, 1999<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story:It builds up all week.  By late afternoon Thursday, bikes are overheating and backed up over a mile waiting to get into the Weir’s.  They turn their engines off and coast down the long hill along the Lobster Pound.  They tell stories and jokes.  Visitors and locals line this gauntlet as they cheer, heckle and taunt. Occasionally their cries are answered with a burnout or dropped top.  It is part of their week and part of the fun.
    1105 Riding Into the Weirs.jpg
  • Blastoff, Hog Drags, Humboldt, IA. 1999<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1999 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: They say piloting a top fuel bike feels like a rocket taking off. The heavy leather suit is pulled on and a titanium breastplate protects from possible disaster. The motor has been tuned, tested and tested again. At the starting line, pilot in the saddle, the crew goes through the checklist and the engine starts.  In an instant, it flies through space.
    1106 Blastoff.jpg
  • Dedicated, Daytona Beach, FL. 2000<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2000 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story: "Wheels" is a character.  He lives and breathes Harley-Davidson.  He shows off his tattoo, a gift from a friend, with pride. Our encounter was brief when I made this image as he was selling T-shirts at a roadside stand. I've run into him many times in the years since, and each time when we part, I think "what a character."
    1107 Dedicated.jpg
  • Wedding Dress, Sturgis, SD. 1982<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter.<br />
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The Story:Riding in the wind and elements, so close to the edge, bikers feel life. They are passionate about their bikes, their riding, their partying, their love.
    1108 Wedding Dress.jpg
  • Milwaukee Cool, Harley's 95th Reunion, WI, 1998<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1996 Michael Lichter.
    1110 Milwaukee Cool.jpg
  • Rooming House, Weirs Beach, Laconia, NH., 1995<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter.
    1111 Rooming House.jpg
  • Milwaukee Jam, WI., 1998<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter.
    1117 Milwaukee jam.jpg
  • That's Why We're Here, Sundance, WY. 2002<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter.
    1118 That's Why We're Here.jpg
  • Bobber at the Bar & Lounge, Sturgis, SD. 1979<br />
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Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1979 Michael Lichter<br />
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The Story:With its powerful direct flash, I’m reminded of old newspaper and police evidence photographs from the 40’s or 50’s. It looks like it could have been taken during the Hollister incident of 1947, but this was Sturgis 1979 when Gunners Lounge was at the center of it all. Funny - I feel too young to have taken it.
    1119 Bobber at the Bar & Lounge ...jpg
  • Young Rider, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1991<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1991 Michael Lichter
    1120 Young Rider.jpg
  • Bea, Puppy's Pig Roast, Whitewood, South Dakota, 1991<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1991 Michael Lichter
    1121 Bea, Puppy's Pig Roast.jpg
  • Kai and Devil's Tower, WY, 2003<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2003 Michael Lichter
    1123 Kai and Devil's Tower.jpg
  • Nick's Ecstasy. Sundance. WY. 2002<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2002 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:“I feel like Satan coming out from the depths of hell, coming through the smoke.”  Nick Fredella, on doing a burn-out.
    1124 Nick's Ecstacy.jpg
  • The One and Only, Sturgis, SD, 2001<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©2001 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:"There was never anyone like George before and there will never be another one. He was one of the few guys you meet in life that become the one and only.  George had 2 lives, one from before he went to prison (he was there for 9 years), and then one after he got out. After he got out, he appreciated life so much more. He loved motorcycles because that was his way of realizing he was free of the bars that locked him up.  It was riding and partying that meant everything to George, he out rode the riders, he out-partied the partiers." - Billy Lane on George Jupin, 2003<br />
<br />
George Jupin, RIP May 25, 1962 - January 21, 2003
    1127 The One and Only.jpg
  • FTW, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1981<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:Giving someone the finger like this in 1981 was outrageous, but then I wasn’t the focus of any anger. This was just someone’s saying “Fuck The World; I’m doing my own thing.
    1129 FTW.jpg
  • Riding Alongside Mr. Tramp, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1981<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.
    1130 Riding Alongside Mr. Tramp.jpg
  • Like a Rolling Stone. Lusk, WY. 1982<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:"How does it feel<br />
To be on your own<br />
With no direction home<br />
Like a complete unknown<br />
Like a rolling stone?"<br />
<br />
"Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan, 1965
    1131 Like a Rolling Stone.jpg
  • Up in Flames, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1982<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1982 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:This is what ended it for City Park. The campers were so fed up with the Porta-lets not being emptied and overflowing that they took matters into their own hands. The years of camping and the parties were over. By 1983, it was chained and locked forever.
    1132 Up In Flames.jpg
  • Chatanooga Charlie. Sturgis, SD, 1986<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1986 Michael Lic
    1135 Chattanooga Charlie.jpg
  • Sturgis Drug, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1986<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1986 Michael Lichter.
    1136 Sturgis Drug.jpg
  • Flashback, All Harley Drags, Sturgis, SD, 1987<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1987 Michael Lichter.
    1138 Flashback, All Harley Drags.jpg
  • Commotion at Gunners, Sturgis, SD, 1990<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1990 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:“In the old days you went on a run and it was a run.  You didn't know if some guy in a pick up truck would pull up alongside and blow you off the road like in the movie, run you off the road, if a truck driver could run over you, or you'd end up in jail because you were a biker and you were probably carrying drugs and maybe a gun.  And when you got there you wouldn't know if a club would beat you half to death or if you'd get arrested by the citizens because you beat up some people in a bar.  There were lots of things going on at that time that made it much more of an adventure.  It's still an adventure to ride to Sturgis.”<br />
<br />
From an interview with Keith Ball, Bikernet.com, (then editor of Easyriders Magazine), June, 1991
    1140 Commotion at Gunners.jpg
  • Caught in the Light, Sturgis, SD. 1990<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1990 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:A wild buck out of its element, torn skin, muscles flexed for flight, startled by the light.
    1141 Caught in the Light.jpg
  • Riding to the Buffalo Chip, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1992<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1992 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:Looking back to the earlier days of the Buffalo Chip, it seemed you really were just riding out to a field filled with Buffalo Chips. It was an out-of-town alternative to Main Street and it filled the void left by the closing of City Park. after 1982. There weren’t big lines of traffic, turn signals, big signs nor big sponsors, but you always knew you would have a big time. You just didn't know what kind a a big time that would be.
    1145 Riding to the Buffalo Chip.jpg
  • Last Sun to Deadwood, Boulder Canyon, SD, 1994<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
The Story:You could always sense something special about Boulder Canyon.  I spent a lot of time in Boulder Canyon between Sturgis and Deadwood making photographs of bikers as they rode through the road’s sharp turns, came over it’s quick rises and slipped into its dips.  It followed Bear Butte Creek just as a footpath must have meandered along the creek banks offering hunters a trusted route to the hills.  The Cavalry would have used the same route and later, teamsters hauled miners with their supplies up to the rich claims of Deadwood Gulch.<br />
<br />
At times, I felt like a trespasser, so I tread lightly respecting the sacred hills around me.  Then several years ago, I was shocked to find major construction going on within the canyon walls.  They scraped away the rises, filled in the dips and smoothed out the turns I loved so much.  A wide path was cut through the forest so a modern 4-lane highway could safely race gamblers to the new gaming halls of Deadwood saving a few minutes each way.  You can barely tell there is a creek below the grade anymore and where once there was a sense of respect, now there is only regret.
    1146 Last Sun to Deadwood.jpg
  • Walk the Line, Sturgis, SD, 1994<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: Where there are bikes, there’s no shortage of police. Worse yet, regardless of why you’re stopped, you could be illegally searched. That’s what happened to me when my Harley was confiscated in 1979 for more than two years.  These are conservative times. Know your rights to protect your freedoms.<br />
<br />
Officer, please understand: I have the right to have an attorney present if you want to question me or conduct any search of my body or personal effects. I am not giving my consent to any type of search.<br />
<br />
If I am under arrest, I wish to invoke and exercise my Miranda Rights. I want to speak with an attorney now. I do not want my personal property impounded, nor do I consent to any impoundment. I request the opportunity to secure my personal effects. If I am not under arrest, please tell me immediately so that I may leave.<br />
<br />
From a popular wallet guide from Richard Lester
    1147 Walk the Line.jpg
  • Harleys at the TT Races, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1994<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1994 Michael Lichter.
    1148 Harleys at the TT Races.jpg
  • Sportster Sunset, Sturgis, SD. 1995<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1995 Michael Lichter.
    1149 Sportster Sunset.jpg
  • We're From Texas, Aladdin, Wyoming, 1996<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1996 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: Images collide in this one-horse town.
    1153 We're From Texas.jpg
  • Tattoo Window, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1984<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1984 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: “Crazy Ace was one of those people that put tattooing on the map, he was a pioneer. He was one of the first artists, along with Mr. Tramp, that set up in Sturgis.  I owe him a lot; he always helped me out in the early days. There was always a place reserved for my studio in the back of his tattoo area somewhere on Main Street and he would always have a whole lot of girls lined up ready to be photographed when I got there.  He’s still an infamous tattoo artist and he’s a biker. He even had a full chrome plated Harley-Davidson, just about everything on it was chrome: gas tank, fenders, everything.  I met him through Mr. Tramp in Texas where he and Tramp were members of a bike club. At one time, he had a motorcycle and tattoo shop in Richmond, Virginia.  Then he started promoting some of the first tattoo conventions around.  He worked here in the States for years but for now, as far as North America is concerned, Crazy Ace is staying well north of the border in Canada where he’s a citizen.”<br />
<br />
Billy Tinney, Easyriders Photographer and Editor of Tattoo Matazine, 2003 (Crazy Ace died in 2010)
    1157 Tattoo Window.jpg
  • Just for Fun, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1984<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1984 Michael Lichter.
    1160 Just For Fun.jpg
  • Stylin' on Main, Sturgis, SD, 1987<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1987 Michael Lichter.
    1161 Stylin' on Main.jpg
  • Downtown at Ingalls, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1984<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1984 Michael Lichter.
    1164 Downtown at Ingalls.jpg
  • Nighttime at the Night Owl, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1984<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1984 Michael Lichter.
    1165 Nighttime at the Night Owl.jpg
  • Still Downtown, Sturgis, SD, 1984<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1984 Michael Lichter.
    1166 Still Downtown.jpg
  • Blowin’ in the Wind, I-90, SD. 1984<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©1984 Michael Lichter.
    1167 Blowin' in the Wind.jpg
  • Choppers at Junction and Main, Sturgis, SD, 1979<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1979 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: Where is everybody? The busiest corner in Sturgis on the busiest day of the rally. Rossini went on to create his famous tattoo parlor in the barber shop. While Rossini died in 2003 and the building was eventually scraped, but it’s still the best corner to watch the scene. Enough time has passed that the look has come back - the long front ends, metal flake, pull back bars, maybe just not the Honda chopper.
    1168 Choppers at Junction & Main.jpg
  • Jackpine Gypsies' Hillclimb, Sturgis, South Dakota, 1979<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 15. Photo ©1979 Michael Lichter.
    1169 Jackpine Gypsies' Hillclimb.jpg
  • Faces, City Park. Sturgis, SD. 1980<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: City Park was a world of its own, a protective sanctuary for many. Inside its gates, little existed beyond. Such an odd collection of personalities, backgrounds, and faces. The heart of America.
    1170 Faces.jpg
  • Crash, City Park. Sturgis, SD, 1981<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.
    1173 Crash.jpg
  • Moto Madonna on I-90. SD, 1986<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 20. Photo ©1981 Michael Lichter.
    1175 Moto Madonna.jpg
  • Harass the Police, Sturgis, SD 1980<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: All for fun, fun for all. Can we laugh together and laugh at each other anymore?
    1176 Harass the Police.jpg
  • Bikers National Anthem, Steppenwolf plays the Hills, Sturgis, SD. 1987<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1987  Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: All for fun, fun for all. Can we laugh together and laugh at each other anymore?
    1177 John Kay & Steppenwolf.jpg
  • Late Night Around the Campfire. Sturgis, SD. 1979<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1979 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: Late at night by the campfire, a bottle passed. Time and the world beyond just a concept. A chance to share stories and tails of the road. One by one, drifting off, only a few remain. Voices interrupt the quiet. Silence as dawn breaks.
    1178 Late Night Around the Campfire.jpg
  • Grudge Racing Near Bear Butte, Sturgis, SD. 1980<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1980 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description:   No centerline on Highway 79 as the bikes burn rubber past Bear Butte. Crazy John gets the hole shot, and Happy Smith watches just a few feet to the right. A blown piston ends the fun, but at least I survive a high speed wobble racing back to town. No Broken Spoke, No Buffalo Chip, Can you imagine riding this section of road and not worrying about cops in every direction?
    1179 Grudge Racing.jpg
  • Drummer's View, Dancing at the Chip, Sturgis, SD. 1991<br />
<br />
Limited Edition Print from an edition of 50. Photo ©1991 Michael Lichter.<br />
<br />
Description: Like some sort of an ancient ritual, women got on stage to tantalize the worked up crowd. Many had never been naked in front of strangers before, but somehow, at midnight on a concert stage in the middle of the Black Hills, they choose to perform.
    1182 Drummer's View.jpg
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