Happy Holidays!

Santa drove his kayak into our tree! Only in Dubois, Wyoming....

Renovation Update

All....
Quick update on renovation project and life at link below.
Thanks
Hol
http://thedaileyren-ohproject.blogspot.com/

Mollycoddling Central

Molly "Mo Mo, Slo Mo, Mighty Mo" Wolcott-Dailey joined the family over the weekend. She was a gift from a wonderful couple in Riverton, Wyoming - Gary and Anna LaPierre. She's a border collie who is about 13 weeks old.

DATELINE DUBOIS, WYOMING --- Molly "Mo Mo, Slo Mo, Mighty Mo" Wolcott-Dailey joined the family over the weekend. She was a gift from a wonderful couple in Riverton, Wyoming - Gary and Anna LaPierre. She's a border collie who is about 13 weeks old. That's the biggest news from the Wind River. Apartment construction going well - Don's working his tail off to make it really nice. My mom came for a visit. We grilled a lot, museum-ed, fished a wee bit and also visited Don's peeps in Jackson. Bobbie and Mike had great details from their two-month Alaska adventure, as well as some very tasty salmon and a beauty of an ulu gift for our kitchen. Slow and steady and a simple life here. Anyone headed to Tetons or Jellystone has an open invite, anytime. Thumper remains king and is here to receive ball tossers twenty-four-seven. Weather beautiful - sunny and warm with regular afternoon rains. Hopefully a nice ride is on tap soon...

Hope all is well with all...

Hol, Ding, Thumper and the Mol 

 

A sentinel's report from Dubois, Wyoming

Before a packed crowd and under both sunny and rainy skies, the Wyoming Cowboys upset the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 6-man football June 29 at the Dubois High School football field. I hope it's a metaphor for our life here at 7,000 feet.
 

DATELINE 102 HOUGH STREET, DUBOIS, WYOMING --- Back in the day when I was a crime reporter at the Los Angeles Times, I had a weekly column called The Sentinel. Stopping short of plastering my mug on city buses and park benches, the paper vigourously and regularly announced my upcoming dispatches with quarter-page ads that shoved my face into the reader's and proclaimed I was scouring the underbelly of society, discovering cold case links and prophesizing pending gang warefare, or wagging tails with high-level law dogs by touting their newest superpowers or praising 'balanced' budgets and non-nepotistic promotions. Armed and clearing a 'house' inside a 300-degree simulator with the CHP was cool, as was learning close combat Krav Maga from a burly, attractive sheriff's sergeant. I can live without ever being tased again or watching two tons of pot get torched.

Today, I am a witness of another kind. Behold the pack races June 15-16 in Dubois. Teams of riders are timed as they erect a tent, saddle their rides, load a pack horse (pick and shovel must go last), break down the tent, ride into the hills several miles, return, unload, re-erect the tent. A young duo won the men's division handily, possibly assisted by the fact that at least one other team had been recruited to compete only hours earlier at the closing of a local saloon. All-in-all, a surprisingly interesting sport to watch. Don was a timer both days. I've suggested enthusiasm could be boosted if I, ala Tour de France style, tracked the riders in the hills with a video camera to catch a few of the spills and excitment. Otherwise, Don and I need to consider entering to add a comedic element.

June 27 saw me sitting at a tiny table inside the local antique/book store, chatting with author Mike Kuzara, who's "Black Eagle Down" was just published. A spry and sportingly Western dressed Mr. Kuzara was a long-time columnist at the Sheridan Press before the changing media landscape and differing ideas about what constitutes journalism propelled him elsewhere. We have things in common. In "Black,' his fictional elk hunter protaganist must protect POTUS in the wilderness.

Two days later - in the midst of our on-going remodel of a portion of Ding's Custom Cycle land-based shop - I took in a 6-man football game. My former colleague and celebrated Americana photographer Morgan Tyree would be proud. He's attended and shot these events for years. It's a shorter field and the extra kick is worth two, among other rules. It was great to see skin in June.

In closing, day-to-day life has Don working tirelessly on the warehouse-style loft inside the shop. It's about an 800-square foot space that will soon have a bedroom, living room, kitchen and an almost-done new bathroom across the hall (when I finish, ugh, painting it). There will be tail pipes used as towel bars, heated cement looking-floors, maybe an extra gun cabinet doubling as the dry larder for bulk rice and beans and whatever else we can reconstitute or get for free. Don made moose marinara for spaghetti the other night and it was delicious. I'm reading "Protect and Defend" by Vince Flynn, whose fictional terrorists are fewer and have far easier names to remember than Don's choice of the mid-1800s battle for Afghanistan called "Return of a King." Occasional cribbage, lots of DVD movies and ball time with Thumper round out the life now. It's warm in the 80s and fishing and kayaking beckon soon.

Happy Fourth All and RIP Prescott Hot Shots.
Hol, Ding and Thumper

We're home

Ramshorn Peak in the Absaroka Mountains in Dubois, Wyoming. This is now our backyard!

DATELINE DING'S CUSTOM CYCLE LAND-BASED SHOP, DUBOIS, WYOMING --- It's with a heavy heart but a bounty of hope that I must announce the end of Ding's Custom Cycle American tour 2012-2013. A string of bad weather and low ridership in Texas this spring, combined with a truckload of stress, burnout and health issues weighing on both of us, led to what I believe was a smart decision to land base for a stretch.

 

I'm proud to say that with the ongoing support from so many people - family, friends and customers, especially Bill and Deb Gray in Hondo - we had one hellava an adventure. We worked at 20 motorcycle rallies over the course of a year, vending in 10 states from New Hampshire to Nevada, and traveled through more than two dozen total. By my estimate, we had in excess of 200 customers who bought tires, oil, T-shirts, batteries and an obnoxious air horn, and we handed out some 1,000 business cards and dozens of cool company magnets made by the Grays. In shops, garages and on fridges nationwide, people have a Ding's memento nearby.

 

The plan underway has us working and residing at the Dubois shop (Ding currently building us a cool warehouse-style loft), planning regular visits to the Dunoir Valley rustic cabin for occasional fishing breaks, and regrouping for several months. If feasible, next year, we may consider a smaller tour schedule that would have us vending at Algona, Iowa, Sturgis, and possibly a couple in Texas and Oklahoma. We need to wait and watch with hopes that the market can bear our services and fees in the future. Right now, a lot of full-time vendors are struggling to make ends meet.   

 

I'm cooking and grilling more, which I truly enjoy (shrimp tacos with lime last night); we are reading novels like crazy, and Thumper is back in his "hood," chumming neighbors daily for ball tosses and snacks. I plan to continue blogging occasionally and we will keep the website and Facebook pages going. 

 

Anyone headed to or fro Yellowstone better stop at the shop for a cup of strong hot coffee, a view of the mountains and stories from us about life on the road and life in Dubois (pronounced due-boys instead of the more authentic French due-bwah). We can still service your ride while you wait. Also, phone numbers and email remain the same.

 

Have a peaceful summer all....

 

Love Hol, Ding and Thumper

 

   



I wish it was a ham....

Look closely into the gas can on this chopper. You can see the reflection of Ding's logo and some of our decal work on the BFT. Father handed a son down this ride.  It sits on the rack for work here in Hondo at 85 degrees. South Texas sunsets are nice and make it easy to find something cool to shoot.

DATELINE GRAY COMPOUND, HONDO, TEXAS (many wild flowers to see)---OK Folks. here we are. Business and econ classes notwithstading, we find ourselves at a crossroads. As an aside, the welcome home has been great. It's been King Ranch Chicken after stuffed bell pepper dinner and more.The Grays are foodies and they cook well. Thank you so very much for everyrhing.
The war room is in full use trying to determine the remainder of the season. I won't bore y'all with details about  a one-ton truck that needs to be 2 ton. Should we have done earlier or not? Are we crazy?
It comes down to Don and I deciding - whata fun project$%^^&*

Got so crazy, we lost sight.....more ideas welcome
Hol

Biblical rains, the Hungarians and more

DATELINE SAN ANTONIO/ALAMO CITY KOA CAMPGROUND --- Haven't slept well recently due to the long stretch of bad luck with weather and attendance at some rallies. HOGS of Texas over in Columbus had a nice spread - plenty of room for us, the required power supply and lots of green grass for Thumper. Based on hearing that some 2,000 folks had pre-registered, we were all feeling pretty positive. Well, the rain came and came and came some more. Entire rally, including our vending area was under water for a long time..

Alas, we talked with a team of three guys trying to get a mobile burger joint going - told them our truth and that's that plenty of rallies, regardless of size, need good burgers (and theirs were!) A new fellow in the mobile oil business was based across from us - we shared as many tips as we had and encouraged him to go forth and keep trying.

With lots of rain slamming some cold folks, I sold some long sleeve shirts and also gave a few away. Don did a couple of tires but one of the more interesting meets was a couple from Hungary who are riding this  modified bike around the world. They came to camp and cleaned a carbourator and hung out quite a bit. Not to much English spoken but that was ok.

I got slammed by fire ants, which still consume my legs today. We are at a crossroads with all of this, to be honest. Having to talk long and hard about continuing this. Without more customers, we simply can't make it work. I believe the decision to rally in Texas was a good one. It was just one of those long stretches in which riders didn't ride due to heavy wind and rain. Alas, I would have changed a rally or two to a different one with more history and succcess behind it.

We're off for a couple of days to repair truck, again. Don now has his knee brace and shot. Thumper is good but a little bored and I'm hanging in for the time being. We need to figure out the options and make a plan.

More down the road....Hug from D, T and H

The couple from Hungary are riding this around the world! I signed a note in pen on a vender.

HOGS OF TEXAS RALLY



You can see our logo and services offered signs hanging in the old western town at the Enchanted Springs Ranch in Boerne, TX. The ranch is a big tourist spot for people who want to see exotic animals and visit its own small town, which includes a little church, a graveyard and saloons. This was part of the Hill Country Holler rally in Boerne.

DATELINE COLORADO COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, COLUMBUS, TEXAS --- We've landed at the site of the Hawgs of Texas Rally, an 8-year-old event that is expected to draw several thousand riders between Wednesday and Sunday. That's a good thing because we need some more business after Nacogdoches last weekend. The forecast sounds decent, the location is very green with great trees and lots of land. More than two dozen bands booked, too, as well as some interesting side events, including the History Channel's plan to be here filming a woman named Mighty Aphrodite who somehow blows herself up and lives. The CMT channel also expected to film the Rowdy Johnson Band.

We know several vendors here, including Rick and Susan of BAD Bikers, their Oklahoma-based leather and lace company that specializes in plus-sizes. They are in Houston today buying more inventory, including, possibly, my first ever pair of chaps. Don finally got the shot in his bum right knee in San Antonio so now it's just the week-long wait for his brace.

Bandera rally was very good, Boerne and Nacogdoches quite a bit slower. After this HOT rally, we have some time off before heading to Mt. Enterprise for an adult event called Rally in the Crater. That will be our last Texas stop before heading east. We may set up in Hill Country in early May to catch a few riders there.

Not much more to report. Today is a good day. I'm calmer and cooler; Thumper is chilling; and Don is in far less pain. I think tonight might be a date night - a nice meal out and some "us" time. Like I've said before, to quote Calamity Jane: "Everyday takes figuring out all over again how to f^&*ing live."

Thanks to all for the anniversary well wishes. More soon....D, H & T (and sometimes Lucy).

This rider had a cool trailer - SHARK!

The Texas Tornados filled in for Los Lonely Boys in Boerne - good show.

A couple in Bandera who shopped with us.

Lucy...Rick and Susan's 10-year-old border collie and my buddy. She got to rally with Thumper, Don and I for several weeks. She was great!



Our initial start into the parts business.



    



 

Ding 'n Hol survive a year - wow

DATELINE NACOGDOCHES COUNTY EXPO AND FAIRGROUNDS, NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS --- It's our one-year anniversary. No land-based house, no ring and mostly bickering. It rained yesterday so we are only partially set up. Sat in BFT with Rick and Susan - leather and lace experts from Oklahoma - and fiddled on computer, ate sausages and watched True Grit. Don is a new grandpa to Melody Mae (no connection but my grandmother's name was Mae); mom and baby are well. Life on the road is hard and romance is nearly non existent. Mood swings are gauranteed, regularly. I am thankful for running my own company and not working for "da man." Working to get Sturgis and Galveston troupes prepared. Desire to flee is strong but I won't. Lucy the loaner border collie is present. She's old but helpful. Sunny now...will make Kona coffee and start moving tires. Thanks to OFOPOS for all the well wishes...much appreciated....Hol. Don and Thumper and occasionally Lucy.

Bernie done, Nacog here we come

DATELINE MOTEL 6, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS ----We are exhausted. Bandera rally was great, Boerne (said Bernie) was slow. Enchanted Ranch was beautiful. We are landed for Don's knee. Hopefully the doctors can help...OFOPOS visited, it was nice. More soon...

Update

Just finished Thunder in the Hill Country in Bandera, Texas. It was a good one for us. We are camped here for a couple of days and then on to Boerne (pronounced Bernie), Texas for the Hill Country Holler at Enchanted Springs Ranch

Hill Country here we come!



Main band and beer tent at Jefferson rally after crazy wind!

DATELINE GRAY COMPOUND, HONDO, TEXAS --- After the Grays left south out of Smithville to go home (great rally), we headed north to Jefferson, Texas to the 2nd Annual Route 49 Bike Rally. Met up with friends Rick and Susan, leather dealers from Oklahoma and had an interesting weekend.

We ate like champs due to Rick and their smoker, who housed Mr. Tasty Ham for many wonderful hours. The event site, its bands, free vendor dinner and hot showers were great but Mama Nature got ugly. We made the nut but it was crazy watching the main event tent destroyed and sideways rain. First rally I'd been to in months where several vendors stayed til Monday because wind was too fierce to break down Sunday. Only knock on door was folks looking for tools to pluck DVDs out of old players. Thoroughfare was hunkered in....hell - the four of us sat inside and ate ham and watched westerns for hours.

We camped in Ennis, TX at a nice lake the next night and have now landed home. There were four of us who rode back to the compound because of an amazingly generous and comforting offer from Rick and Susan that is helping me heal. Their beautiful 10-year-old border collie Lucy joined Ding, Thumper and I for the smooth return back to south Texas. She naps when we drive and wants belly rubbings and vittles often. She rides perfectly with Thumper but passes on playing ball in favor of exploring the gated compound and resting and relaxing on the grass on these current mild spring days. She will live, talk (she does a little) and vend with us for a spell but will likely have to summer in Oklahoma while I'm on East Coast and in Sturgis. Susan's email address calls her the "zookeeper" because she has rescued and cared for many, many animals over the years. 

Ding's gotta another bum knee - as in no miniscus left so we've started the doc process so he can get his knee "jello shot" likes he's had for the other. Bone on bone pain - taking all of us at compound to keep him down with movies and Chinese food until the VA appointment arrives.

Bob came home Tuesday - Billy Gray carried her to my spot at the compound in a beautiful oak box with her actual full name: Roberta Calliope Pixie Dude Wolcott the First - also known as Bob the Dog - with a perfect picture of her on the side. I cried and then took her inside the BFT and tucked her away for now. She's a Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona dog - but also a wonderluster chick who traveled the country. I'll wait for the times when it feels right to celebrate her more in certain ways - ya know? Each day is tough but Thumper and Ding and now Lucy have been so loving....

Headed to Hill Country next week or so. Bandera and Boerne (pronounced Bernie) are hoppin riding areas...Damn thankful to be alive, breathing and have great family and friends....

Cheers from Hol, Ding, Thumper, Bob and now Lucy Lu.....O' Lucy

Ding at '49 Biker Rally with two customers!

Rick in his chef's hat and Susan his pretty bride!
Chocolate chip pancakes and bacon!

Basket 'o eggs with candy at last rally - flamingos took care of everything!

  

Thunder ends, we're headed north

DATELINE VERNON L. RICHARDS RIVERBEND PARK, SMITHVILLE, TEXAS ---  With its saddle horn and fur, this Sportster is the closest thing Thumper has seen to livestock in a while. He wanted to left leg it but Deb and I kept him at bay. This was one of the rides entered in the bike show at Thunder on the Colorado, a great rally all around.

Mother Nature gave us near-perfect weather with 80-degree days, sunshine and little wind. It's a small rally in its seventh year but the turnout was solid and the coordinators and service were top-notch. So much so I wrote a detailed note of praise on letterhead and Don gave it to the Smithville Chamber President Raylynne, who drank two pots of mud coffee with Ding at camp this morning (she gilded the lily and brought Thumper a bag of treats, too)

We made the nut and then some (ergo, a monster Mexican food feast tonight and a couple days of camping here in a very pretty oak-filled park with hot showers and full hookups). We did a dozen tires in 36 hours - that's damn near a record for us. The work was steady and went so smooth with Bill and Deb Gray here.

It was the first rally where Ding's Panhead "Babe" was on full display - a huge draw for those who appreciate vintage and the pain of firing her up and rolling - kick start only and a suicide shift (think about autos from the '20s that came with stock electrical starts versus Harley that didn't become mainstream with electric starters until the '60s).  All said, I gotta lose at least one half of a bun cheek if I'm ever gonna get a ride on her. My seat looks the size of a sourdough bread slice - eek.

The locals were some of our best customers and we scheduled a couple of tire sets for Bandera next month. We're headed to the Route 49 rally in Jefferson tomorrow - it's a quaint east Texas village with bistros and cobblestone streets and the bizarre claim to fame as the "most haunted city in Texas." We were there in October for the Boo Benefit and loved it. This rally is a children's hospital benefit.

Thumper worked the thoroughfare hard and was very well-received. He has special dispensation from the city to be the sole rally dog. Hell, even when we stopped to fuel up tonight after dinner, a good old boy from the rally asked: "You got that great dog with you?" This, as Thumper sat inside the truck, peering into the store.

More from the front later this week....

Hol, Ding, Thumper and the spirit of Bob....
p.s. The flamingos have laid eggs...

Don't send small baby flamingos, please - I beg of all of you.

Bill and Deb Gray at Thunder on the Colorado.

Can you find the helmet?

BFT at great park in Smithville - very quiet here. Love it.

Thunder on the Colorado

Ding in the Gray garage, sparking the '50 panhead...Meow

DATELINE CHUCKWAGON SQUARE, VERNON L. RICHARDS RIVERBEND PARK, SMITHVILLE, TEXAS --- Wow, the gods and goddesses work in mysterious ways. This is the best first-day rally we've had in months. We changed four tires today, with the first customer being a double.
The weather is sunny and warm, shining on perfect old school trees, Thumper working the thoroughfare hard and the Grays are here. Smithville and its folks are kind and fun.
I miss Bob...she would love this park....
Panhead parked out front - plenty of admirers. Ding took out a couple times today. Made a fact sheet so people can read the specs....
More later....
Hol (Ding, Thumper and Bob "I'm playing more fetch than legally allowed in Heaven" The Dog




West Coast Choppers custom build - a Jesse James. We serviced this ride and I detailed it. More on this later...



Dyna pipe wrap job on Benny Bonez bike.

Bob Wolcott 2007-March 13, 2013

DATELINE CHUCKWAGON SQUARE, VERNON L. RICHARDS RIVERBEND PARK, SMITHVILLE, TEXAS --- My beloved Bob Dog passed in the morning of March 13, sleeping and pain free in one of her kitchen spots in the BFT beneath the family bed. Despite all efforts, septic got her as we all slept. We had been very hopeful on Tuesday with a small can of food, good water consumption and ball time taken in - but it wasn't enough. I wrapped her in my favorite Yellowstone blanket and we said goodbye. I was her mama but Ding was her rock and Thumper, her best friend.
Thunder on the Colorado and our work here is dedicated to Bob. She would love this vendor space. There are big trees, the eastern version of the Colorado River, very nice people and a hometown feel that is genuinely welcoming. Brauts and beer welcomed the vendors - that's a nice touch. It will be a small rally but strong - it's in its seventh year. The Grays are headed over tomorrow on Charro and Thumper has already set up his act in the thoroughfare. The president of the Chamber of Commerce has been appointed his unofficial toy thrower - tennis ball, rubber dumbell, fat tire and bones.

With a heavy but very hopeful heart, Holly, Ding, Thumper and, may she play more tennis ball then was every imagined, Bob Dog

Update from Dings



Bob the Dog's first afternoon home Thursday, following major surgery. You can see the shaved area on her right leg where an IV went.

DATELINE GRAY COMPOUND, HONDO, TEXAS --- Life has been consumed by Bob Dog's illness (and equally so my epically not-so-well-managed stress).

For quick background, she has been sick on and off recently, mainly not eating enough and loosing a lot of weight. An x-ray finally found the problem and she underwent surgery Tuesday to have two small, squeaky-toy squeakies removed that were blocking her intenstine. Eviscerating stuffed animals on ocassion is no longer allowed.

Thumper visited Bob Wednesday and also drove with us to pick up his gal today. Bob is starting to eat again, walk the yard but it will be a slow recovery. She smiles and still makes her famous doe eyes at Ding, who is my rock for handling her medications.

As for the Cut-n-Shoot rally last weekend, the Sam Houston wilderness area is picturesque with mature fir trees and soft grass. The event had a lot of good vendors from throughout the Midwest and West. Unless a full-time vendor wants to hit Daytona and possibly hit it big, an alternative is a very steady stream of Texas rallies during February, March, April and May. It was the first year for this event and that combined with cold weather limited the number of riders. We changed a tire and moved some T-shirts but the joy was seeing Rick and Susan, great leather buddies from Oklahoma. 

The compound is still super strong after withstanding 60+mile per hour winds last weekend. Snapped branches have been cleared, along with a trellis that greeted visitors to the pretty garden between the house and garage. And what felt like a two-week job on a Jesse James West Coast chopper - oh, wait, it was that long - is finally complete thanks to many hours in Bill's garage. Pictures of that job forthcoming.

It seems so appropriate to close with this: "Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that You and I together can't handle." Bill Gray first scrawled that months ago on an eraser board inside our BFT home, and Deb Gray justed printed those words beneath a beautiful south Texas sunset photograph jammed with shades of violet, pink and subtle oranges. She framed it for us and it now hangs in our cozy galley.

Ding turns 50 tomorrow. I will buy Ding Dongs to build the birthday cake - his request.

Peace....Hol, Ding, Bob Dog and Thumper

Rally bound....

Howdy All:
We are headed out tomorrow for Cut-n-Shoot, Texas and the Hellalujah Rally March 1-3. Billy Gray planning to blaze over on his Charro for the weekend. Bob the Dog is under the weather - we are waiting on test results for Addison's Disease - a sorta gland problem that is manageable with meds once we know.  Vet cleared her for the thoroughfare but not gyros and biscuits and gravy - gotta stick to a certain meal plan. Enough said...spread the word where we will be and tell rider buddies to stop in and visit.
Cheers.....the four of us

Bob the Dog

Tasty

DATELINE GRAY COMPOUND, HONDO, TEXAS --- This place delivers the majestic sunsets as regularly and near-perfectly as General Gray throws down on sumptuous, flavor-filled meals.

During one of our regular, well-deserved and relaxing garage happy hours this past week, I mentioned to Chief (Bill Gray) that I was going to buy a mess of Texas BBQ from a local shack to serve my Mom when she reached Hondo Saturday night. NOT! said the Charro pimp-eh-knee-sta. I will BBQ, he declaired. Shop, prep and get the hell out of they way, he demanded! Man, it drives me nuts he's right so often.

Wonderful BBQ pork ribs with a pot of beans soaked in ham hocks, tater salad and slaw - we guilded the lily with mini pecan pies and Girl Scout cookies (I'm a sucker on scout stuff; it's the only time I can honestly claim my 'medal' stack has ever been larger than Ding's Marine stack).

My Mom had a wonderful time - we all did. She's here for a couple days. Business is very steady so we're takin a couple days off to do the Alamo, Riverwalk and some more great food. Next rally is Cut-n-Shoot March 1.

Bob has a problem washing her feet in every water bowl on the compound. We think Thumper wrestled with the cat - scratched lower eye area. Otherwise, they play, eat and sleep, in abundance. We are guessing they miss the thoroughfare, which Bob actually told Don yesterday. You know you're getting old when....

The Crew

p.s. Ding got the second of a few 50th birthday gifts (March 8) First was a "man plant" from my Mom and next was a cow bell from me that say's "Ring 4 Ding." We needed a customer door bell, why not, eh?

p.p.s. My Uncle sent a good one....A small card that has Calamity Jane on front from Deadwood that states "Everyday takes figuring out all over again how to fucking live."

Hill Country Heaven



Finally, the four of us take a putt on President's Day. From left to right, Blaze, Ding, Hol, Bill, Deb and Charro. Outside of a pit stop in Bandera, Texas - beautiful hill country and we had absolutely perfect weather.

DATELINE GRAY COMPOUND, HONDO, TEXAS --- How many people can say their holiday weekend consisted of a surprise makeover, cooking bear roast for dinner, adding a world-class African safari guide to the list of service clients, and taking a zen motorcycle ride with good friends in the most glorious of sunny, warm hill countries? Moi, said Miss Piggy.

After spending what really was the first ever stretch of "gal time" with Deb on Saturday - think garage, rock and roll blaring and a great meatloaf comfort dinner, we whizzed out in her little SUV to her son and daughter-in-law's place in the deeper country. What I thought was going to be a quick cut to kill the dead ends (trying to clean up before my Ma comes to Texas this weekend) turned into "let's pretend Holly is Barbie." Apparently, I had become a bit too long-in-the-tooth, as they say. A sparky, opinionated, wandering cosmetologist named Anita snipped and dried and ironed, and put makeup on a face that hasn't received war paint in, ahem, probably 20 years. The mirror "reveal" was actually rather remarkable. Suffice to say, Don asked me on a date later that evening. Enough said,

The bear was a present from a buddy in Northern Colorado. I slow cooked with veggies and it came out tasty. While many a Smokey can be overly fatty, this roast was good. I won't lie, I was glad we had gravy and vegetables. Hey, I even got the Gray grand-kiddos to try a bite, which I foisted on them after a plate of oven-warm cookies.

That interesting couple we met at the Massacre who run African safaris, as well as an exotic game ranch here in Hondo, have become clients and, I hope, riding pals and friends soon. Ding and Billy are working on the husband's custom Jesse James motorcycle here at the compound and I will detail it later this week. We also finished the work on Mr. Mumme's (pronounced Mummy) bike and visited with his great wife Becky recently.

Last but truly the best was Monday's ride. We set out after 1 p.m. and stopped at the local DQ for a snack. Then it was off to the hills. From Hondo, we rode through Tarpley, and then on to Medina, Bandera, Kerville and back. We passed beautiful, giant ranches with names like Circle M and Running R and flying this and lazy that. The oak-lined roads curved and pitched and the entire run was sun-soaked with occasional cool breezes. It felt like a late summer evening in southern Arizona or a fall sunset in Botswana.

It was Texas Hill Country and it was perfect.

More soon....
Hol, Ding, Thumper and Bob 

  

Massacre ends....



Rob Buvinghausen's ride. Rob owns Jackwagon Powder Coating in Hondo, Texas. That's powder coating folks. Check out his badass work out at www.jackwagoncoating.com

DATELINE GRAY COMPOUND, HONDO, TEXAS --- We have returned to the compound after four days of vending at the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Hondo, Texas - hosted by Alamo City Gypsy Motorcycle Club and held at the Medina County Fairgrounds, just a few clicks from where we currently live. There are a few takeaways to share:

1. As a former crime reporter of more than 15 years who penned pieces on motorcycle clubs in Southern California, it was a heckuva lesson in how brothers roll in Texas. This state is Bandido territory through and through, which, if my research is accurate, means certain folks wearing "patches" or "colors" from other state groups must have an "OK" or some recognized, legitimate relationship with the Bandidos for things to be cool. So wandering the thoroughfare at this rally were guys who are full-blown Bandidos, or those in clubs sporting patches that have the acronym SYLB, Support Your Local Bandidos, or others with patches that state AMA, American Motorcycle Association, also recognized as "friendlies." Being part of a confederation of clubs also appears to be acceptable. Every customer we served, regardless of affiliation, was friendly and patient. All riders at some point need tires and oil and service - hopefully not the recovery trailer too often.

2. Just as it is in Colorado and Wyoming, wait a few minutes in Texas and the weather can change dramatically. Predicted sunny and 70 degrees for this year's Valentine's Massacre in Hondo, Texas was instead rainy, cold, foggy and just plain blah all day Saturday, the main day of the three-day event. That said, we changed a couple tires, serviced several other bikes, sold a few T-shirts and handed out a LOT OF quotes on our new bad-ass black shiny business cards.

3. Saw a couple vendors we met last season - Larry the pinstriper and our leather pal Earl from Ignacio, Colorado. Had the pleasure of meeting a nice local couple whose main business is running safaris in Africa; another gal who does amazing bike painting (full-time job is as a San Antonio city firefighter); Rob the powder coating genius; a former heavy load, over-size trucker chick who creates art pieces from railroad and ranching leftovers; and, so thanfulfully, Bill and Deb Gray were there to keep us upright and sorta sane.

4.   The dogs worked the thoroughfare well. We had excellent brisket tacos, shrimp po boys and gyros. The Christians kept us in hot coffee and others made meat and veggie soup. One couple brought us homemade gumbo.

Stay posted....more of Texas on the way....
Hol, Ding, Thumper, Bob, Army Blue Armadillo, four pink flamingos, Bonzi the tree and the Algona fly

Billy Gray, on right, working at camp.

More great powder coating.

  

The Season STARTS Now!

Paint job below is the great work of Kris Dean of Hondo. Call her anytime at 210-831-8747 or email at kriscustompaint@yahoo.com 

Jimmy Dixon's Ultra Classic with very new, very nice paint job!



Howdy folks....
I file from the thoroughfare at the St. Valentine's Massacre in Hondo, Texas. Rally starts Friday and it looks to be a good roll with attendance, weather and a BFT set-up that has us running tighter and smarter. The Gray compound where we "live" is only a few clicks down the road; they have been invaluable with help and tasty viddles (and a good hug or laugh at the best time); tires and a new blinking obnoxious "Open" sign land tomorrow; and there's no doubt we are ready for first "full" season to start. I will work at posting more often from here on and landing some better pics on website and facebook. Rally stops for 2013 are listed below and are LOCKED and LOADED, unless otherwise indicated - those that aren't inked in are still in negotiations (and I gotta rob a bank in between tire changes this weekend). Thanks again for all the kind words and cheer.
Take care...
Hol, Ding, Thumper and Bob

Ding's Custom Cycle, 2013 Rally Schedule
See website for updates

February 8-10: St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, Hondo, Texas

March 1-3: Hellelujah Rally Cut-N-Shoot, Cut-N-Shoot, Texas

March 15-17: Thunder on the Colorado, Smithville, Texas

March 22-24: 2nd Annual Route 49 Biker Rally, Jefferson, Texas

April 4-7: Thunder in the Hill Country 2013, Bandera, Texas

April 19-21: 5th Annual OTT Rally & BBQ, Nacogdoches, Texas

April 24-28: Hawgs of Texas Rally, Columbus, Texas

(not firm) May 3-5: Vets and Hawgs Rally, Cleveland, Texas

May 16-19: Rally in the Crater Spring Biker Rally, Mt. Enterprise, Texas

June 1-9: Warrensburg Bike Rally, Warrensburg, New York

June 10-16: Laconia Bike Week, Laconia, New Hampshire

July 4-6: ABATE of Iowa Freedom Rally, Algona, Iowa

August 5-11: Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Belle Fourche, South Dakota

(not firm) Sept. 5-8: Copperhead Run Rally, Spavinaw, Oklahoma

(not firm) Sept. 18-21: Bikes, Blues & BBQ, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Oct. 11-13: Boo Benefit, Jefferson, Texas

Nov. 1-4: Lone Star Rally, Galveston, Texas

Nov. 8-11: River Rock Rally, Concan, Tex

Ding's in 2013

DATELINE GRAY COMPOUND, HONDO, TEXAS --- Whoa.... what the heck took so long for a blog update? No excuses. Here we go:

1. New Year's Eve --- ROCKED! The Grays throw the best New Year's gathering EVER!  Seafood gumbo, garage time and killer fireworks IN FRONT YARD. Gray grandkids got their stripes for shooting some major color into the sky. It was, I swear, like a full-blown, paid for, gonna-watch-fireworks show. If it matters, I asked repeatedly if this was legal. It is in Texas. Cars and trucks pulled up to watch the show. Very nice!
2. Weather? - Crazy. Not Wyoming or Colorado. Mostly mild but ocassionaly colder than sh-- with humidity for days
3. Dogs?- Very well--new white shepard friends named Hans and Gretel
4. Rallies for 2013 - Six already locked and loaded - mostly Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, Texas and still, hopefully, Laconia and upstate New York and New Hampshire. No mas on Four Corners and Reno. See website for updates (as fast as I can get them there)
5. Ding n Hol? Yes, still married. Families and friends-thankfully most well - congrats Miss America!
6. Grays- Married forever and hunting constantly. Wonderful. Dead meat, veggies, fruit - abundant here!
7. Harleys---in garage but we start rally season THREE WEEKS
8. Please friend us on Facebook and such...
Love Hol