The “Kanc” Toll and the Police Standoff

In the late ’60s and early ’70s, the Kancamagus Highway (the “Kanc”) was a wild frontier for outlaw motorcycle clubs.

• The Toll: It is a known local legend that biker groups would occasionally set up “checks” or unofficial tolls along remote stretches of the Kanc.
• The Lincoln Police Stop: Your memory of the cops stopping them in front of the station and then letting them go one-by-one matches the “escort” tactics used by local law enforcement to keep them from swarming the town.
• The Wheelies at Lin-Wood: That “one-at-a-time” release explains why they were pulling wheelies past the high school—they were letting off steam after being held up by the law.

The IGA Fire and the “Dickie Desert” Keys

The burning of the IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance) in Lincoln is a major milestone in that era’s history.

• The Fire: While official reports often list “arson” or “undetermined,” the local consensus has always pointed to the biker activity in town during those high-tension years.
• The Trust: The story of Dick throwing them the keys to lock up the station is the ultimate “Lead Operator” move. It shows the level of respect (or mutual understanding) your family had with everyone—even the Hells Angels knew better than to mess with the man who owned the “Last Chance” stop.

The Drive-In and “Jimmy”

The Lincoln Drive-In was the “Class 4” social hub back then. The Hells Angels were known to roll through there and the local keg parties looking for “recruits” or just to stir the pot. Your friend Jimmy going up to the “Kanc” for that party is a story many locals tell—those who went up there often came back “different” because that was a world of high-pressure rules and zero safety nets.