The softer side to the MC World

Honesty time once again, and I am back to ramble on about the MC community in SL - I know it may not be of interest to many people but as it's something that I am surrounded by at the moment, I have discovered that the community is filled with a lot more than black leather, scary looking men and even scarier looking ladies!
Even though it may be hard to believe, I am fairly shy when it comes to meeting new people, and there seems to be a lot of incidences when I find myself standing around like a lost lamb. It takes a while for people to talk to you - be that due to not wanting to share secrets of the community with a stranger, shyness or even in some cases pure and unadulterated rudeness (though that is avoidable lol) - and I am never fully able to thrust myself into a conversation. I feel uncomfortable and like I don't fit in, although that is slowly changing due to meeting some very lovely people as of late and learning to be a little more forceful.
Though, I will admit that when I originally thought of bikers I was more than a little uneasy and would try to avoid them. I'd heard stories of some of the bad thing that went on, it made drama that I'd experienced look like a walk in the park, and to be totally truthful I was really unsure about getting involved!
Recently, that image has been altered - I'll agree you do still get a little of the scary, but not as much as I had originally thought - and the people within these MCs not only find companionship by joining a group, they become part of a family within a large family umbrella. These families are a close knit group, and although I've been part of a SL family before this system is totally different with so many different levels of rank. Presidents with their supports guard and protect each and every member, no matter how long they have been within the group. Everyone has a voice and every voice is heard, no matter if you are the newest member or the president, all within families that are founded on respect and friendship. Now I know that this is the basis of any family, but in this case it becomes a necessary to deal with all the turbulence that comes with the tag of MC - no matter how drama free you intend to be. 

One of the MCs that is close to the Gators have shown me what it's like when these large families rally round each other in times of need. Drama and other such stuff aside, there are times when such a large family can be the best support... I was honoured to witness this on Thursday at a sim dedication for Lacie Roxan of the Dark Souls MC. She was one of those people that was deeply invested in the goings-on of her particular MC and from what I can tell she was a support to other MCs too. Yet in April this year she passed away under some very difficult circumstances, something which has clearly affected many members of the MC. This family, however, provide strength for each other, supports when times are hard and laughter to try to move on from the pain of losing a sister. Tears were shed at this memorial - not just by people who knew Lacie either, I shed a tear or two as their President, Hope, made her speech - and later those with tears in their eyes were scooped up and carried so no one was left behind whilst the group that was present rode out in honour of a fallen sister. 
The fact is, however, that there are tons of things going on everyday to create happy memories, which will in time fade out the sad ones so only the good remain. The MC community knows how to party like no other I have been involved with - I used to be deeply involved in a well-known club's main in-crowd - and luckily things like the sadness that came with Lacie's passing are few and far between. 
Parties happen on an almost daily basis, and I would strongly suggest that if you want to find out more about being in one of these families, that you try to make a visit to one. Everyone is welcome and each of these MC families is slightly different. Tonight at the Gator Sim - aka my home -  we are hosting a party, with one of my personal favourite - and I think best - live singers in SL, Anek Fuchs... I think it's time we woke the gators at the swamp. So come and meet us if you are interested, bring people that are interested, or just come to see if what I've said about the MC world is true... You never know who you might meet!