On Monday May 12th my good friend Dago will be turning 84. This year I’m thrilled to have her here with us in Hollister. If you don’t know who Virginia (Dago) Day is, it’s probably because you aren’t a Boozefighter or a Boozette. If you are either of those and don’t know who she is, shame on you.

Dago is the only living original Boozette that we know of. She was good friends with Terry, who was married to Wino Willie Forkner (the originator of the Boozefighter motorcycle club). Back when these lovely and rambunctious ladies formed their club, all the girls were required to ride motorcycles. They put their prospects through rugged initiation ceremonies and held them to rigorous standards. Many of today’s Boozettes ride only on the back of their Boozefighters’ motorcycles but they continue to be a tight knit group of dedicated ladies. Their esteem for one of the ladies that started it all is profound.

My close friendship with Dago goes back to 2006, the first year our Hollister motorcycle rally was cancelled since its 1996 inception. Although I met her in 2002, the rally kept me too busy to spend any quality time with her. July Fourth weekend in 2006 I had plenty of time to get to know her and a lot of wonderful Boozefighters. It’s the year they dubbed the policeman’s rally because there were more of them in town than there were motorcyclists. If you are interested in learning more about that crazy year you can read about it in my memoir Miracles and Grace in an Unlikely Place /Memoir of a Christian Woman Biker Bar Owner.

God never fails to bring something good from negative situations in my life. Although the cancelation of the rally was costly financially, it blessed me with some wonderful friendships, Dago being number one. I am totally amazed by her memory of days gone by. She remembers names, places, and details from sixty years ago better than I do what happened last week. She is a treasure trove of information about everything Boozefighter. And they know what a gem they have in her.

Soon we will be attending the Spring Nationals together in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The event is only days after her birthday this year so I decided to fly her out early from her Carson, California home to celebrate it with her. She’s so cute. She tells me that every day she wakes up; she thanks God for giving her another one.

2012 In Dallas with Dago and the Boozefighters from Switzerland (I think)

Dago has survived cancer of the tongue, having a third of hers removed to get it all. While she was still getting her strength back from that onslaught her doctor found a cancerous spot on her lung. She had surgery to remove the growth only four weeks before we went to the Boozefighters National Convention in Reno together. Unfortunately during last year’s Dallas convention she was recovering from carotid artery surgery. She badly wanted to go with me but the doctor was adamant about it being too soon to fly. As long as she’s physically able she will not miss a Boozefighter Convention.

I am thrilled and honored to be her chaperone. Our good friend Heather usually gets her to the Nationals, wherever they may be, and then I take over. Heather couldn’t make it this year, so it wound up being a God-send that I had Dago fly here first. I was astounded when my flight home was routed through LA on the way to San Jose because now I will be with Dago for her entire trip. Heather will be getting her to and from the airport so we know she’ll be in good hands at all times.

As bunk mates I’ve added many stories to Dago’s repertoire. Once in Reno I brought four Boozefighters up to our room to say hi at four o’clock in the morning. Time gets away from you in Reno and I had no clue it was that late, or should I say early? I told them they needed to be quiet. Seriously? Dago remembers everyone whispering and giggling and one of the guys pulling on her toes. Now it’s become a tradition to wake Dago up with visitors. She heads to bed pretty early and I think she would be disappointed if we didn’t wake her up at least once during our road trips.

Dago is a character with a rich history and a mind like a steel trap. I plan on writing her biography one day and this extended visit will be a great opportunity to gather colorful stories from her past. If you’d like to hear some of those stories, be sure to join us at Johnny’s Bar & Grill on Monday May 12th. We’re starting the party at 4:00 and we’ll be eating around 5:30. We’d love to see you there.

On a sad note we lost Dee Cameron on May 5th after open heart surgery. Dee’s father, Jim, was one of the original Boozefighters. From the time his dad propped him up on the family Crocker as a baby in 1942, his love affair with motorcycles never wavered. He will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his lovely wife Deanna.

Hanging with a couple of legends. Dee will be sorely missed.