by Emma Caster-Dudzick
On June 7, Main St was blocked off from Franklin Ave to Park Street for the Nyack Motorcycle Expo, a shiny event consisting of tents, vendors, and, of course, rows and rows of motorcycles. Families walked through taking pictures, and smiling leather-clad bike enthusiasts greeted each other left and right.
Some tents represented auto shops, like Stony Point’s Motorhead Motorcycles, which soon will be hosting its first annual Fundraising Party for Pediatric Brain Cancer, on Sunday, June 24th. A man who sat nearby buffing a very impressive forest-green bike told me he’d been detailing hogs for 15 years, and that it was his passion.
Other tents were pitched by motorcycle clubs, like the Fugawis, a group once featured on the History Channel’s “We’re the Fugawis.” Sitting on a bench beneath a tree near this tent was a man in a bandana, sunglasses, and leather Fugawi vest, looking quite peaceful. I asked if I could take his picture, and he told me his name was Keith. Before I could get his last name, he eagerly directed my attention to a man sitting in a chair under the Fugawi tent. He informed me that he was the President, and said, “He’d give you something good for your paper.”
The man in the chair was Scott “Mudflap” Sanguinetti, a large man with an intimidating, fatherly air and very kind eyes. When I asked him his duties as President of the Fugawis he told me, lovingly, “Someone has to look after the knuckleheads–someone with a level head.” He elaborated: “It’s more or less people who get along together… we do a lot of charity events. We were the ones who set this place up,” gesturing around him. Turns out Mudflap and the Fugawis organized the entire Expo.
When I asked for his picture he said, “I’m not looking my best. I’m doing cancer treatment.” He smiled and posed, looking regal in his folding chair. When I thanked him for the photo, and for bringing the Expo to Nyack, he told me sadly that Nyack didn’t want to hold the Expo next year. I was asking why when we were interrupted by a man who came over to ask how Mudflap was doing.
“You feelin’ good? You look good!”
“Just had treatment yesterday.”
“You’re still here, brother. That’s it!”
Illustrations by Emma Caster-Dudzick, a Nyack-native artist and writer. To see more of her work go to ecdart.com
