Westward-Ho!

Iowa here we come! Left Delaware, Ohio a couple of hours ago and we're headed west on I-70 toward Indianapolis and then on to Daveport, Iowa area. May hit a KOA for showers and shore power. The final thoughts on the Ohio storm are this: It was a crusher. Even this afternoon when I went to the grocery store to get gatorade and sandwiches for us, nearly all business on the west-end were still without power. The Kroegers store was open but I had to shop in the dark and there was no cold or frozen stuff available. Thank goodness we bought gas last night. We plan to land in Algona by tomorrow night or early Monday - giving us three days to set up. If we get all the chores done, we've vowed to take in the local Fourth of July celebrations and find some good barbecue. Ding driving now, listening to the radio news on Sirrus satellite and I'm blogging from front seat while Bob and Thumper are sacked in the back. More later. p.s. Wrote a nice, funny note to Pastor Al at the church where we bunked in the lot - threw in a few bucks for the basket and requested prayers and supplications for our safe journey and prosperity. He invited us back next year. We may take him up on that because there is a Marine biker rally nearby we want to try.

Apres storm - Well, this little storm in Delaware, Ohio, kicked this city of 30K to its knees. Ding and I weathered the hell inside the BFT and then decided to hunt for diesel fuel and a burger. Well, that was a bad idea. Power knocked out to most of city and only restaurants that stayed open had lines for hours. After two hours or so, we found a gin joint with decent burgers and such. Watched the Olympic trials, ate and found our way home. Snapped trees, downed power lines and detours everywhere. Locals said it was a freak storm. They were correct.

snapped tree

We're not in Kansas anymore Toto

HOLY SHEEP SH$%!

Ask quick as it reached a 100 degrees and high humidity today, Mother Nature got biblical with 50 MPH winds, sideways rain and lightning that scared me so bad I cried like a baby. Ding and I went out to run errands at 4 p.m.-ish and it was overcast and sticky gross hot. Thirty minutes later we got a cell call from Rob who said "get home fast, it's coming." By the time we raced home minutes later, the new white canopy - even with major water weights hanging on all four corners - was destroyed. The lightning was so fierce it was rattling the truck as we sat there watching $300 worth of canvas and metal mash into a ball. Three tables we had out are OK, the Harley appears OK, but Ding's tool bag has two inches of water in it. Luckily, I hadn't yet put our 600+T-shirt inventory out on those tables yet (see, procrastination does has some value). I am camped inside BFT with a brave Thumper and a quivering Bob. I broke out a can of vienna sausages to quell the fear for the four-leggers. Hail supposed to be coming. If wind and elements persist, we will head to Rob and Cindy's.

Shot from front seat of truck. Reflection is my notes and clipboard. White canopy going down.

Ohio surprising

Dateline Delaware, OHIO - Ohio has been a surprise for the last few days. I'd sort of written the state off over the years for a number of unfounded reasons. I judged spinach before trying it, if you will. Despite crushing heat and humidity, there has been much good in this community on so-called Days Off (yeah, we don't have to carnie but we do have to work on a lot of maintenance and repair.) Ding's Marine buddy Rob and his wife Cindy have been been incredibly gracious, fun and helpful. Their church, Delaware Christian Church (good sign its initials are DCC like DIng's Custom Cycle) has what all god-fearing carnies and their dogs worship - a HUGE parking lot surrounded by grass. Pastor Al warmly welcomed Ding one morning and assured the women and small children at the daycare center on site that we were not the boogie-men. In return for beautiful asphalt, the congregation can expect a nice offering on the plate, along with a request for prayers and supplications for a safe remainder of our tour. Today, Ding and Rob sweated it out in 100+degrees at Rob's garage, installing everything needed for safe braking in the one-ton Dodge that hauls the BFT. Seven hours and five hundred dollars later, we can now safely travel again (reference Thumper 'Quality Control Officer's' post wrench inspection shot above). Pennsylvania mountain grades kicked our butts. Got all the laundry done, ordered some roof signage from a local guy (TIRES! OIL! REPAIRS!), took physical inventory (QuickBooks inventory and actual tire count was off by 6) and the bedroom window is repaired. Working on nailing down future rally contracts (Igancio and Reno have been tough), and tomorrow holds repairing BFT shoe, building rooftop frame for new signage and reorganizing 500+T-shirts (inventory in, PayPal still down but orders always shippable - email me any requests - black and white shirts - WITH POCKETS - long and short-sleeved, most sizes between small and 3x), We followed Wednesday night's great grilled ribs and salad from Cindy's garden with Mexican food tonight. Giant vat of killer guac made table-side at Mi Cerrito. Two of Rob and Cindy's three girls took Bob the Dog for a swim in the backyard of their place, while their dogs Maggie May and Indiana Jones watched. Hard to see newspapers as far away as Ohio with front page photos by my Denver Post buddies of fires raging in Colorado. Fort Collins one is under control (my old ranchito still stands) but Colorado Springs blaze sounds bad. Much more important is the welfare of our family and friends. My Pop doing well after a minor heart attack but sadly Ding lost a long-time running buddy, Michael G., who passed yesterday. Rest in Peace. We leave for Algona, Iowa Saturday. More soon. Ride safe. Hol, Ding and the Dogs.

Laconia video

Out of Thunder

 Howdy All!

From top: Ding working on a cool ride; dog tired Thumper and Bob; a minstrel crew at Thunder that we knew who also worked in Laconia; a local Johnstownian walking his parrot; a nice kid who we did a tire for - he was at hospital earlier that Saturday, where they sucked 2 quarts of fluid out of his lungs; new puppy for Saint John - bought him in thoroughfare and named him Thunder; my silly marketing effort with a giant beach ball screaming TIRES!; and the mounted po-po.

Well, Johnstown's Thunder in the Valley rally is over and we are now holed up in a motel in Delaware, Ohio near Ding's buddy Rob. We need a couple of days to handle business matters, laundry and repairs to truck and BFT. The short of the current opinion on the grand tour is that Laconia was excellent in terms of earnings, meeting people and making contacts. Thunder, well, not so good. They changed up the location of our rig and five other vendors and failed to include this 11th hour so-called "Thunder Service Plaza" in any brochures. Event organizers admitted they had mis-handled vendor space and the plaza was a last-minute decision. By Saturday morning, I had had it and took a meeting with the head chick and spoke as a quasi-rep for the group of us - saints Mark and John at AmsOil, LED light dudes, leather works operation and others. I demanded and received free radio ads for the Plaza and its vendors, as well as regular announcements on grand stage. The PR effort gave the situ a little boost but not enough to have us ever return. In fact, while at motel office these couple of days, I plan to file a complaint and request refund. Alas, Thunder had its highs. Sailor came down and got a tire and had some fun with his wife and friends. Dennie blazed over from Maryland on her witch's broom called Pancho (literally has one affixed to side of her Harley - her means of transport home if bike dies :) and Mark and John from oil competition (we teamed up and worked together) provided many a laugh in regular gatherings at Ding's site during late-night happy hours. The riders and families at Thunder were very kind and took a huge liking to Bob and Thumper. By the third day, the dogs were garnering more attention than us, so I penned up a silly sign like you'd see in the Gem Saloon that told folks it would cost them a nickel to pet a dog, a dime to pet two and a buck for a kiss. Someone actually dropped a dollar in their tip jar! Up next is Algona, Iowa - the ABATE Freedom Rally. This will be a small rally with more oil changes and detailing than tires, possibly. More soon. Hol, Ding and the dogs.

Thunder in the Valley Indeed

Well, the local newspaper photographer just came round and shot a photo of Ding working on a front tire. I will get tomorrow's paper and keep y'all posted. Yesterday's business was slow (normal for Day 1 at these things). It was wildly hot and humid but rain didn't show, which is good. I bbq-ed chickie legs and corn and we supped late before walking around and checking out the rally. Unlike Laconia, Thunder in the Valley is very concentrated - a few square blocks of old downtown. The streets in all directions are lined with thousands of riders. We are in the Thunder Service Plaza, very near the death wheel (those crazy dudes who basically ride a motorcycle inside a large soup can) and the burnout pit (for the unknowing, it's a giant rev and squeal and turn event that creates a lot of smoke.) Our neighbors include the dyno guys from Laconia, as well as an oil dealer who was also in New Hampshire. The fad these days seems to be LED lights - picture a Harley with blinking neon Christmas lights in the middle. Not my bag (let's keep it simple and old school) but pulsing neon purple, pink, green and blue light up the night as the riders streak by. Sailor from Laconia and also the OFOPOS gathering came down today to have us put on a front tire. This makes three events he's been with us. Really nice guy. No sign of Dennie but I'm guessing maybe tonight or tomorrow she will land. Not as much grass here for dogs to play on so their little paw pads are getting worked hard on asphalt. When the rally isn't here, you see and hear that Johnstown is still working to crawl out from a depressed state following a flood many years ago. That said, it's quaint with a variety of shops and what's called the world's longest car lift that ferries people and autos straight up a mountain. Gotta go post fliers and probably get Ding another cheesesteak sandwich - inhales them.

The eve, technically morn, of the rally tour part deux

LACONIA TO THUNDER IN THE VALLEY, JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

     It's nearly two in the morning and we've finished set-up for Thunder in the Valley in Johnstown, PA. It's a 4-day event so we have to crush it hard to make the nut. We were off the wires with y'all after breaking camp in Laconia and getting here so here's some more info.
     Back in Laconia, a few final details linger. A group of patch wearers came through and needed tires - great customers and even better PR for the biz. Certain clubs or groups, ahem, if you will, can bring a WHOLE lotta biz your way. Hope to see some more of those folks at Thunder this week.
     Ding and I had a great lobster roll in Laconia - best 14 dollar sandwich you could have. Our new friends Dennie and Dragon (Dennie may be heading here this week and we will meet Dragon in Reno - we are hauling beads for him - think Mardi Gras boob-showing enterprise) debated their route home in picture below.
     We met up after Laconia with the Old Farts on Pieces of Shit (OFOPOS) gathering in Clarion, PA. I think they knew it would be a hundred degrees and a damn hilly ride because they plied us with moonshine and stories for hours. It was worth ever second hanging with those folks.
     It was a beautiful but hilly ride into this valley. I smile at all the roadside signs that show a horse and buggy crossing - not to mention the fresh produce and ice cream spots. There are Morgan horses and old farms everywhere.
     When we reached Johnstown area and stopped to ask a Five-0 some directional help, he did us one better and fired up the flashing lights and gave us a personal police escort. Our location here is good, jammed in with folks selling LEDS (lights), dyno dudes and others. I have a box of great tomatoes from a New Hampshire farm I will set out tomorrow, along with a bowl of biscuits the customers can give Bob and Thumper.
     Don't be fooled folks, while it's GREAT not working for 'da man' anymore, life as a high-end carnie is no cake walk. It's laborious and constant. As we drive down the road - loving the journey, off course - we are oft reminded (usually by smoking brakes or failing A/C) of the perils and pain. As we say in biker world,  Ride Safe.


(Ten pictures from top to bottom):

A motorcycle at Laconia outfitted with glowing red and green lights; a Ridley 'mini' bike; a nice group of 'patch' folk who needed tires; Dennie, right, and Dragon discussing the route home from Laconia; a frigging killer lobster roll sandwich - worth all 14 bucks; the dining area for the Old Farts on Pieces Of Shit - OFOPOS - gathering at Super 8 in Clarion, PA; the OFOPOS crew during gathering hour (think moonshine); the Pennsylvania countryside where everything is hilly and green; full lights on our offered-and-acccepted police escort to Thunder in the Valley site in Johnstown, PA; our very welcomed police escort!

We're Alive!

Apologies from the front line. After nine days at Laconia (very good rally), we nested, used real indoor plumbing and ate dead red meat and fresh seafood with actual silverware. It took us more than eight hours to break camp in Laconia and we headed west on Monday. Drove through beautiful farm country in Vermont and slept a while in the BFT in eastern Penn before pressing to Clarion, Penn., to hang out at OFOPOS - Old Farts on Pieces of Shit gathering at the Super 8 (clean, cheap, good one here). Visted with old fart bikers from around the country and ate more meat. Also consumed a berry moonshine-like substance that I can probably live without for the rest of my life. Headed to laundry, Wally World and auto parts places in Clarion today before driving south to Johnstown, PA, for Thunder in the Valley rally. Dennie, the plus 60 rider from Laconia, is planning to blaze over and help. New England was beautiful and welcoming. That said, I believe Ding and I are ready to head much further west soon. We will holiday for a bit in Columbus, Ohio, with a buddy and then head to Algona, Iowa for Freedom Rally by Abate. More soon. Hol

Laconia Day 8 of 9 - Busy

Friday in Laconia

It's Friday in Laconia and as busy as ever. Ding's been wrestling with a steering bearing adjustment on a dresser for more than four hours. It's owner Dennie is a patient woman. Sailor is back, rode up this morning to hang out. Dragon is here from the campground next door. Ding's buddy Duncan is hanging out, too. He's considering hitting more rallies with us and possibly selling stereos. Business boomed all day and tomorrow has three appointments before noon. I'm taking a break inside the A/C of the trailer house, hydrating like crazy because it is warm here today. Don't feel much like cooking - may have to giant corn dog or turkey leg it. Dogs napping now after about seven hours of greeting people and hunting down ball tossers. Two more days and then a little rest before Johnstown, PA - here we come.

Top photo: Dennie and Ding and her dresser. Bottom photo: The wiring guts of her dresser.

Hot Thursday

Photo Caption: Orange guys - claim is that if you drink their shit-u don't feel shitty in the a.m.- I'm callin BS

Hot, sticky and busy today. Sailor came round and had some work done. We got slammed with inquiries - handed out darn near 100 biz cards with quotes. Ding has been wrenching since 10 a.m. and they are still lined up. Carnie Hippie and HA and others who are regulars have stopped by for coffee and Peebers. Bands are live and loud all day and Quiet Riot (think 1980s) is setting up soon. Sold a couple T-shirts and landed myself a pair of very large beads. (yes, getting those still involves Bourbon Street flash). Traffic is exceptionally busy on road today. Made hot links and spare ribs on grill. Fed a few. Dogs in heaven - loving the attention. Have to pay the piper today - second half of rent. Thank goodness business steady. Turns out UPS - the brown dudes - don't deliver on Saturdays. Not good. Got a tire delivery today but need more. May hvae to stay until Monday because we have half-dozen riders with thin skinny and may need us. Never got to detailing or video. Oh well. Another shi$%^&* in paradise. Stay tuned.

Rainy Wednesday

Day started with a lot of rain (nickname of this rally is Rainconia - this year has been an anomoly with sunny warm weather). Earlier today we hung out under canopy with Ding's buddy, Sailor, another member of OFOPOS - old fuckers on pieces of shit (apologies for the language but it is what it is). Sailor is a telecom/energy broker who lives a few clicks south of here. He brought beer and grinders and really good cigars. I think he's headed back up tomorrow for a tire. Hippie carnie dude brought over homemade lemon meringue pie and potato salad. I make coffee throughout day for our fellow vendors - gifts in return seem to abound. I drove into Meredith today for dead red meat and other grill fixings. Shot video of chainsaw dude next door but computer being mean so loading and editing is slow. Talked to hot gal on stilts in outdoor pub and inventoried our latest tire drop (we get mail at the bar). Live music has been good today and they say four more days of sunshine and major amounts of riders on the way. Marcel the Frenchman showed up - he last saw Ding in Dubois, Wyoming, in 2008. I shot a photo of the group. That's the sum of it.....today. Ding wrenching now and I will prepare detailing station. Starting tomorrow, I plan to detail bikes that got all dirt on the road and in the rain. I wipe it down for a few bucks and spit shine it for two hours for two big bills. Rent due to the piper tomorrow. Yesterday's alleged fatal is alive - on live support at a brain trauma center in Maine. What you see isn't always what it is. Thank god.

Top to Bottom: Ding working on a bike; Sailor and Thumper by lift table; Inside of shop; chick on stilts at bar; concession with great burgers across the thoroughfare from us; and Marcel, the Frenchie who met Ding in 2008 at Dubois, Wyoming shop.

Please Pray

Laconia Day 4----I won't sugarcoat it. A rider is gone. I was there and it ain't good (slang required).  The image took me back to crime reporting days - PTSD for rooks. Right out front - not good. Day brought the HA (fine) and plenty of green. We made the nut and then some. Scotch and such was required. A fella named Dragon kept Ding busy while rain passed. Business good but mental health on wain. The hippie's wife brought lemon pie. Nice. Burgers from the carnie across thorough-fare good. Rain fallen now. Today - with rain-may be wash. Break might be nice. Bob and Thumper "Quality Control Officer" good. Mood somber. Stay tuned.....

Day 2-Laconia rally

(Top to Bottom); Top pics show start of rally; next is the mobile shop; followed by our first customers; and Ding and Tom, two Marines. Tom had a rear tire changed and spent the hour playing ball with Thumper and Bob.


Live from Laconia! It's Day 2 of nine at Laconia. We arrived safely and have set up the shop. Final leg of drive took us around Manhattan and Boston. New Hampshire is a New England postcard, replete with beautiful lakes, trees and centuries-old houses and streets. Rained heavily Friday night but has been sunny and warm since. Rally is massive - stretches five miles around a lake. We are on Route 3 near the Full Throttle Saloon. First day was a little slow (they say first weekend is primarily day-trippers from New York and Boston) but still helped out a half-dozen people, including one stripper who needed a new Ding's black tank top to match her 5-inch stillettos. And yes, unrequested, I was forced to see her girls -yikes! Canadian hogs are crushing Ding's wrenching skills but rest of today going smooth. Frankie of 'New Yak' has his chopper on the lift, getting an oil change, and Tom the Marine from Mass just left with a shiny new rear Dunlop. The senses are overwhelmed here with the constant roar of bikes, live rock and roll and heavy metal, the waft of ocean and mountain air mixing with beer, burning rubber and the regular cat calls to the hot chicks who line the street and shake their booties. The sounds alone will make good video, if I ever get time to sit and edit some. Stay tuned. Oh, here comes the chainsaw artist who is setting up next to us.




 

WE MADE IT!

All:
Laconia, New Hampshire is absolutely beautiful. Quintessential New England with stone houses, cobbled streets, ivy and greenery everywhere and a gorgeous lake. This rally is MASSIVE. It stretches around the lake for about five miles. It's an odd contradiction for the environment - neon signs touting tattoos and corn dogs, alongside hand-milled Adriondack chairs and maple syrup. We are nestled in the midst of it all. Late night with set-up and inventory. One of these days I will edit some more video. I have shot a ton...More soon!

Is there actually a light at the end of the tunnel? Say it's so.

Ya gotta love Pennsylvania, folks....They bury us in kindness with the tire fiasco and then its green hills kill us with speed and navigation. That said, we are parked but only a 7-iron from Performance Tires in Telford, PA. We gather of lot of rubber and then burn north to Laconia. Local restaurantueur takes pity on us and allows us back parking lot. We promise to consume victuals at her estab at 6 a.m. - eek.... Need fuel, tires and a do-able route that lands us in New Hampshire before sundown. My navigational skills being tested beyond belief. Alas... we will make Laconia. All suggestions welcome on route out of Allentown, PA. Cheers folks...upright, breathing and weather is good.

p.s. For the record...It should be noted that Ding manuevered the BFT through a river-front village made for elves. We only started getting lost and jammed when roads got bigger and map dots smaller. Shall I bi-focal now?

Rough Night

After a nice Greek lunch in Columbus with Ding's Marine buddy Rob, we successfully manuevered eastern Ohio and West Virginia before I was struck with first medically recorded case of RTSD - rubber traumatic stress disorder in booming Rostraver, Penn. (dare you to find on map - confluence of I-70 and State Route 51). Just as we are departing the local Getgo - where we purchased the necessary super decoder transponder star trek piece of #$%^& for the state's tollways - a stealthy curb claimed three tires AND wheels. I watched the horror unfold from my Ram navigation perch. Alas, as lovely as the Pennsylvania landscape is, so, too, are its residents. Better part of local citizenry rallied to cause, particularly a wonderful fellow named George Smouse. We will be rolling in an hour. 45 hours until rally in N.H. starts!

Day 3 of Dings Custom Cycle Adventure

Last night we found our way to the pristine grasslands that are the Adel, Iowa fairgrounds - down the road a click from John Wayne's birthplace and around a bend from the bridges of Madison County. Surviving a day that held a treadless tire (lots of cords showing) and a blown-out window (second one since purchasing Big F#$%ing Trailer) in 90-degree heat, we treated ourselves to steaks on the barbie. The dogs roamed in the no-pet area and waded in the pond while us bi-peds grilled and marveled at fireflies. Today was a long haul with the remainder of Iowa, the span that is gun-less Illinois and a chunk of Indiana. Passed the Colts arena tonight where that Manning dude used to play and have holed up at a KOA favored by Brickyard fans. The drive through the Quad cities and over the Mighty Miss prompted me to text my pal Shank, an accomplished journalist from that area. Don has done a helluva good job driving and the dogs are great. With the blown window, Thumper "Quality Control Officer" had his first case to investigate and resolve. Stay tuned....Pennsylvania tomorrow.

(Top photo): Thumper "Quality Control Officer" for the company inspects the missing window while parked at a truck stop near Des Moines. (Bottom photo): Thumper and Bob the Dog decide a replacement is in order but the idea of a secret escape route while the owners sleep would be great.