HOOKSETT, N.H. (AP) – Peter Fonda, who played Captain America in the biker film, “Easy Rider,” is in New Hampshire for Bike Week in Laconia and will be the grand marshal for Sunday’s parade.

Fonda, 64, said Wednesday he’s visited New Hampshire many times and the state motto “Live Free or Die” is evident in the individual spirit of riding.

He said it’s also relevant to the issues of the day, noting that the Patriot Act enacted after the events of Sept. 11, has unfairly infringed on Americans’ everyday freedoms.

“I think New Hampshire’s motto is the best of any state’s,” Fonda said. “Especially now, when we’re losing our freedom with things like homeland security.”

Fonda, who still rides, said while there is something liberating about heading out on the highway, the rider also must be focused on the task at hand.

“When I’m on my bike, none of that matters,” he said. “I’m 100 to 200 yards ahead of myself. You don’t have a chance for your mind to wander, or else your bike will, and you might hit a tree or something.”

He added, “Now that we’ve made it through the 1980s and 1990s, a lot of people are interested in going back to that time. We like to think about when we were all idealists. Now very few of us think we can make a change.”

The nine-day annual bike rally attracts thousands of people from across the country. There are bike shows, racing and scenic tours of the state.

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