Thomas Tweedie and friend Chris Bello have a reliable strategy for finding other deaf riders at events like the Hollister Rally.
“We look for deaf people by sign,” Tweedie said Friday afternoon from inside Mars Hill Coffeehouse on the first day of the three-day rally in downtown Hollister.
Tweedie rode here from Anza, and Bello from San Diego. They came across three other deaf bikers Friday at the Hollister Rally. The five of them sat inside the coffee shop and signed with one another from behind a glass window with a front-row seat of rally commotion on San Benito Street.
“It’s a lot of people,” Tweedie said. “It’s incredible.”
Tweedie spoke audibly in a conversation with the Free Lance, while the others provided information by writing and through non-verbal communication. Those others included Bello, Steven Anderson from San Diego, Jock Johnston from Buellton and Jesse Pearson from San Diego.
They pointed out a gathering of other deaf people, about 25 of them, later on that night at a local hotel.
Anderson mentioned how he’s there representing the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Chapter 460.
And Tweedie said he was especially drawn to Hollister for the scenic rides in the area.
Tweedie also said there’s always a good feeling from bonding with other hearing-impaired riders.
“We saw them signing and got excited,” he said.
Look back for video of the group conversing through sign language.
