Cindy Shaw Ride Safe

This is an article from the paper back in August, but since then I've sold my magazine due to illness. I can no longer edit or publish the magazine. It takes a lot of running around and I just can't find the energy any more. - Cindy

Cycle enthusiast starts her own biking magazine

By Jim Lawley Staff Writer for the Decatur Daily jlawley@decaturdaily.com

Although she's a motorcycle enthusiast, Cindy Shaw of Hartselle doesn't consider potholes, strong crosswinds and careless drivers in trucks and cars her biggest enemies. Nowadays, she's discovered something that's hard to steer clear of: computer viruses.

Although Shaw, 45, still rides with her husband, Alan, as a passenger on the back of their black-and-chrome Suzuki 1400, she can no longer operate a motorcycle by herself. She gave that up about 10 years ago because of arthritis, limited motion in her neck because of a car accident, and other health problems. Arthritis and other health problems prevent Cindy Shaw from riding a motorcycle of her own, but not from being a passenger on the back of her husband's Suzuki 1400, left. Riding alongside is her associate, Charley "Backroads" Graham.

So about six months ago, she began channeling her love for biking into a motorcyclist magazine that she started. It's called Thunder Roads." The Klez computer virus invaded the hard drive of the computer at her home office. Talk about a bad wipeout -- it corrupted all the data, sweeping away all stories, advertising and artwork for the June issue. Even her Windows operating system had to be reinstalled. But like a prepared cyclist with a tool kit, Cindy Shaw didn't let that mess her up. She started from scratch and combined her June and July content into a single issue. To avoid further clashes with computer viruses, she's installed an anti-virus program.

Like the virus attack, there have been a few bumps here and there in this new venture, she said, but it's mostly been a smooth and satisfying ride.

With "Thunder Roads," she is her own boss. She is editor, does layout and design, and writes. She bought an Alabama franchise of the magazine from a Tennessee-based publisher about six months ago.

For 30 years, she operated a telemarketing business from her homes in Hartselle and Missouri, selling trade and children's magazines to day-care establishments. She decided to take that work and sales experience with publications to a different level.

Cindy Shaw writes, edits and designs Thunder Roads, a free, family-oriented publication for motorcycle enthusiasts. With a print run of 8,000 copies a month, her free color magazine is distributed at motorcycle shops and dealers, repair shops, bars, convenience stores, restaurants, and just about anywhere a motorcyclist might drop into in North Alabama. She distributes the magazine with help from her husband, her son, Mike, and Charlie "Backroads" Graham, a sales associate she hired.

Several years ago, Graham sold Kirby vacuum cleaners door-to-door and was required to wear a suit and tie. Today, he does his magazine deliveries and advertising sales calls in jeans, a black skullcap helmet, and sunglasses while riding an orange Kawasaki Vulcan 1500. "No suit and no tie now," Graham said proudly. Shaw said, "It's a requirement that anyone who works for me has to be motorcyclist. They have to be into what they do and know what they're talking about."

Featured bikers

The magazine, which has about 40 pages each, includes articles on riding tips, motorcyclist events and gatherings, industry news and events calendars. Each issue also features a motorcycle of the month, and a page featuring "Man and Machine," a profile of a local male rider, and "Women Who Ride," a profile of a female rider. So far, Shaw has printed March, April, May, a combination June/July issue, and an August issue.

Denise Hall of Decatur, who is motorcyclist, described Shaw as an outgoing person "who doesn't take no for an answer." "I know she's still excited about this magazine and has been excited and energetic about it, just like everything she does," Hall said. "She wanted to have a clean, family oriented magazine that a child could pick up and read and it not be offensive."

Recent articles include reports on gatherings at Little Sturgis Rally in Sturgis, S.D., and on the Florida coast, and reports of events from Christian riding groups. Dan Reagin, owner of Iron Horse Cycles in Decatur, carries the publication. ”I think it's a good idea, because we've never had a publication like this before for motorcyclists," he said. "It's an especially good place for bikers to get information about local events and things of interest to local riders. A lot of times it's hard to find out about those kinds of things."

For example, a news item in a past issue covered a fund-raiser for local cyclist who was injured after being run off the road by an 18-wheeler. About 200 bikers attended the fund-raiser and raised about $7,000. "I don't think many people would have known about that fund-raiser if it hadn't been for it mentioned in the magazine," Reagin said.

Mrs. Shaw has since established a fund at Regions Bank for injured motorcyclists called Alabama's Fallen Brothers and Sisters. Ads for fund-raisers in her publication are free. She plans to expand distribution of the magazine statewide and has set up a Web site, www.thunderroadsalabama.com.