Moonshiners

You would not believe the amount of questions that I have been asked lately.. I guess this is as good a place to put down some answers..

This past summer I got a call from a friend in North Carolina. He told me of a producer from New York that was gonna do a show about Moonshine for the Discovery Channel. Contact info was exchanged and it wasn't but a short time I was talking to the Executive Producer in New York City. Schedules were compared and we decided to do the filming in conjunction with The Twineball Run.. but let me back up just a bit....
I like Moonshine. I have spent the time to learn as much about it as I can. I guess the thing I dig about Moonshine and the people who deal with it is that these people are self sufficient. They can do whatever they put their minds to. They can make an engine run or build a house. They can figure out how to take a few gathered materials and turn it into a huge chemistry set. Also known as a still.. These are the kind of people I call Do'ers.
"I don't believe any of that show is real".... I've heard this many times. My answer is this... but yet you will believe the evening news???. It was meant to be entertaining.. I can't speak for any part of it that I wasn't involved with but I can tell ya that my moonshine got some fine people likkered up in Oklahoma and Kansas.
"How can you break the law on national television and not get in trouble with the law"?? Think about it... you see crimes on TV every day... Now if a lawman had come up and seized a quart of shine, then they would have had evidence of a crime. "How can I get a quart from you"??? A lot of people who don't know me have asked this one... my reply is simply this.. "Fuck off, Copper"... Because of the show I have a target on me so I am "out of business.. for a while... I got a call today on my cell phone from a guy who wanted to know what kind of fairing I have on my VTX.. but now, lets get back to the show...
The film crew met me in Ponca City, Okla. and followed me to the property of a friend of mine.. This was a pre party and rally point for The Twineball Run. The camera crew left early that night but the party lasted till around 4am.. At first I thought that the film crew had missed some wonderful footage but then I realized that the general population would have us committed if they had seen the fun we had that night. The morning found me looking threw blurry eyes at the film crew and wondering why I was wearing one sandal and one boot... We filmed the mixing of the shine that morning and at around 11am we (about 20 of us) headed out for Osborne, Kansas. The film crew missed a turn and we didn't see them for the next 150 miles.. I said that it took us 12 hrs to go 287 miles.. That was because one guy lost his clutch then broke his chain and a wild man from Arkansas lost his ignition system and then we found that his frame was cracked from too many wheelies.. He rode on the back of my bike to the next town. When I got to Osborn, Kansas and started setting up camp, I handed a jug of shine to Kruse and asked him to pass it around. Before I had set up camp I had sold 24quarts.. The party was ON. There was a whole lot of footage that didn't make it past the editors. Do you think the world is ready to see a man wearing nothing but football shoulder pads jumping a bonfire on a motorSickle.. I don't think they are ready for that level of free dumb in there lives.

  "$50 a quart seems kind of high." I've always charged 20 or 25.. I don't know where they got $50 for a quart.... I can tell you this... the twineball run is an event that you don't need a camera for.. You will never forget those memories.. Two guys laying on a tire that is tied behind my bike is a site to see.. ya.. we won that race.. Later on we found a feed trough and decided to give rides behind my bike... I did get a little concerned when I saw an Itasca camper full of drunks doing a power slide into the second turn of the dirt oval track we were at... In the morning most folks went for a ride to the biggest twineball in the world.. Ya, thats true... some of us decided that the only bar in town was the place to be. We were not wrong.. After a few hours we headed back to the dirt track and the fun started all over again..

Will there be a second season? I've been told yes.. We will wait and see. Moonshiners was the highest ranked show in Discovery Channel history with 2.83million viewers for the first episode.. That tells me people like what we do..
I want to again thank each of yall that helped us with this project.. Lets do it again..
Until next time...

PEACE&GREASE

Things I am Thankful for.

On the eve of this Thanksgiving I sit here writing to you because I am feeling truly blessed. Today I spent the day looking at the world threw the eyes of my six yr old daughter, Maggie. She always reminds me what is really important. We stopped for a snack at the General Store and at 48degrees outside Maggie wanted a Popsicle because that is what she had back in the heat of summer.. No need for logic. We had Popsicles. This afternoon my oldest daughter came up from Huntsville and her Husband and their college friend soon followed. Great dinner and time to just talk was part of the joy in my heart. Tomorrow there will be 20 of my wifes family will be at my table. Some that I only talk to just twice a year but they are family just the same.

I thank the Military for their commitment and I think of my Brothers In Arms who will spend their Thanksgiving Day on the front lines and in harms way for a cause that we question. I wish for them a peace of mind and the understanding that we as Americans support them.

From my house to yours. I hope your Cornucopia is overflowing and you have more blessings than you can list in a day.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING 

A PLACE IN THE SUN

As Autumn settled in upon us I took the opportunity to go for a long ride. My plan was to go to Galveston for the Lonestar Rally and then out to So. California to see some friends and check out the scene. More about The Lonestar Rally later. I'll not bore you with the story of the road because there is not much to see between Galveston and L.A. Let me put it this way, I could not find any place where two tree's were close enough together that I could put up my hammock.

I would rather share with you about this Place In The Sun. I pulled into Orange County, California during rush hour on Thursday afternoon. I had forgotten how many people they had crammed into this geographical area. The last time I had been here was in the late 80's while I was in the Army and it was crowded then. I found my way to the home of my dear friend, Russ Niedwick and after a short catch up with him and The Man known as "Pothole", we proceeded to a local watering hole. Sailor Jerry and his friend Jack Daniels joined us for a celebration and in the morning the question was asked many times. "What Happened".
A cup of coffee and a dip in the hot tub started off my Veterans Day. The day had no plan and that's the way I like it. The only thing on my agenda was spending time with a friend and checking out his machine shop. Russ Niedwick is the third generation owner of Niedwick Machine, a full service precision metal shop with costumers from dishwasher manufactures to the military. If it is made of metal, these guys have what it takes, including motorcycle parts. Grandpa Neidwick started this business in 1956 working on airplane parts in Long Beach. Now they have diversified into all kinds of different industries. I found pleasure in seeing Russ, his father and his grandfather talking about a set of brass handlebar risers they are soon to put into production. Those of you who watch Orange County Choppers on TV have seen some of the pieces they have made. The DNA wheels and The Gears of War Trike Wheels among many other pieces and parts. It was truly my pleasure to spend time with these people. Craftsmen each and every one of them.
One of the things that I loved about the area was the closeness of all the different trades and Craftsmen. Because of the population density there is enough work to have a machine shop, auto paint shop, powdercoating shop, metal plating, parts houses and metal suppliers and all the other connected trades. All of this in a 5 mile radius. For a guy like me, living in the hills of Tennessee, the availability of those services is damn near mind blowing. The amount of knowledge in the area was also mind blowing. We were in the area where the So. Cal. speed movement started back in the day. I was thinking about how it must have been back then. I have heard lots of stories of the glory all these people were trying to achieve. These were the people who were defining "West Coast Cool". These were the guys that punched horsepower and speed to a whole new level. And Then I met Wink Eller. Russ knew that I would appreciate meeting and talking with this Legend of Speed. Wink Eller's body of work is greater than I could address at this time but I can say this. He has set 67 official land speed records and that doesn't include the 13 records they took from him. Keep your eyes open. This man has some huge plans in the works including a live cam for your viewing pleasure.
Saturday morning found me rolling my throttle up the Pacific Coast Highway. Destination Beverly Hills for The Cycle Source Mag. West Coast Bike Show. Morning rain kept some of the people away but all in all it was a great show. It is always a pleasure to run into good people like Mr. Johnson, The Mailman and talented Sara Liberte. They seemed just a bit surprised to see me on the west coast.

Take some time. Invest in yourself. Go see a new friend and enrich your life with new things. Get on your bike and ride. Find you a place in the Sun.

PEACE&GREASE
I AM DON WOOD 

To Galveston and the Lonestar Rally.

My goal for the day was to stay off the Interstate. I don't mind the interstate if I have to make a lot of miles but today I only have 330miles to go. After looking at a map, I decide that I will take the gulf coast road. Highway 82. A lot of the road is surrounded by grass marsh but every once in a while there would be views of sugar fine sand. Luckily the wind was not blowing hard and I had a beautiful ride. Clear blue sky's and mid 70's for the temperature. The route I had chosen took me past many Wildlife management area's and I knew that I would have to take two Ferry rides to get to Galveston. The first of the two was so short that the entrance gate was still closing as the exit gate was opening. Maybe a 90 second ride.

If you decide to take this road, be sure to gas up when you can. I was a bit concerned but good fortune was on my side and I didn't run out of gas. The attitude of the gas station attendant told me that his gas station was the only one in town. I told him after I paid that if he didn't say thank you for my business that I would never be back. His look told me that he couldn't care less. I asked a local for his recommendation for good local food. He gave me directions to what looked to me to be a closed in metal car port. I ordered a crab burger and I was surprised with how tasty it was. I went to use the bathroom and I was surprised to find the toilet in a 10 foot enclosed cargo trailer. This all made perfect sense to me after talking with the waitress. Her explanation was that everything had to be mobile so that when the surf gets up they can move the whole operation to higher ground. I was about 75 feet from the gulf of Mexico. After another hour and a half, I found myself in line for my last ferry ride for the day. I was waiting with all types of vehicles from cars and pick ups to delivery trucks and around 40 motorcycles. We sat waiting as we looked out over the Galveston skyline.

I truly enjoyed the Lonestar Rally.  It was well organized and it being the 10th anniversary, Most of the logistic bugs had been worked out. Unlike some of the other rally's, Galveston was not a huge rally. Everything was within an 8 square block area and within walking distance. This was nice because I could park and walk to see everything I wanted to unlike Daytona Bike week that covers 50 miles of the Atlantic coast. Great concerts and outstanding food. I want to give Rick "Dakota" Kempf a shout out for putting on such a killer bike show. I'm not sure of a total count but there was well over 100 bikes entered in the show. He had it all well organized and it all went down as smooth as any show that I have been too. Some expected him to fail but he pulled it off without a hitch. All the people that I had reason to work with did a great job. It's amazing how much goes on behind the scene's to pull off an event of this size. Jay Allen and Sasha did a wonderful job, again. I look forward to working with them again.
I pulled out of Galveston on Sunday morning before the Rally was over. I wanted to get some of my 1400 miles behind me and I'm glad I did. Rain in central Texas shut me down around dark. A shower and a bed was very welcome last night and as I type this morning I'm thinking about the 1000miles ahead of me today.
My next destination is central Arizona.
Until next time... PEACE&GREASE.

The road to Galveston.

Loaded and Rolling. If you read my last offering, you got the jest of what this trip is about. If not, catch up. Getting to galveston has been nothing but wonderful. I pulled into Hammond, La. on Tuesday evening. I had met Charles Eldridge 5 months ago at my house. I played host for a pre party to Big Mountain Run and this man who I had never met or heard of showed up. When he pulled into my driveway he said "my bike is messed up". We wrenched on his bike for probably 30 minutes and then we made introductions... The bike always comes first.. That evening we shared stories, lies and some good home cookin and I knew right off that that this was a solid guy. We spent the next 6 days riding and partyin with each other in the Smokey Mountains. Chaz, as his friends call him, lives in Louisiana and when he heard that I was coming threw, opened his home and heart to me. Just a quick stop in the middle of the week but we shared some good conversation and some great grilled steaks. We started talking about his next trip to Tennessee and how his lovely wife would get along so well with my wife, Shelly. Early Wed. I was back on the road with a mind full of warm thoughts from the night before. My destination was set for New Iberia, La. and supper with my cousin David who was working in the area.

230 miles to go and I don't want no part of the interstate. That's usually not a problem but in Louisiana that becomes a major problem. See, not all the roads in La. go on forever. Many of them stop. That road that you would think goes around that great big lake,, it may not.. I decided that I would take the Interstate just far enough to get west of the Alachafalaya water basin. I have been in a boat in that area and I knew it would take a week to navigate it on a bike.. I love this area of the country. The natural beauty is very unique to Louisiana.. The people down here are full of life and have a wholesome sense about celebrating life. It's not uncommon for an ole man to get up from the diner table, grab a young girl and dance a jig to the live Zydeco music. These people understand "The Spice of Life." Dinner with my cousin was not only good, it was entertaining..

I'd say, other than the food, the best part of the area to me is this little Hotel that I found years ago.. It's called Hotel Teche, named after the Bayou that it is on. 1960's era cottages for $40 and the Bayou garden is the shit. I layed in a hammock watching the water for close to an hour. Not a sound could be heard but what mother nature could provide me. I was left to my own thoughts and the hope of tomorrow. I kinda like that place.

5am wake up and I go to load the bike as the rain begins to fall. Scratch my head and recalculate. 330 miles to Galveston. Why am I up SO early.???  Good time for me to take a nap. 930am and clear blue sky's. I smile at myself as if I have tricked the weather Gods, and I get on my bike and ride.. No interstate today. I set my coarse. South until I see water and then west. If a road goes south, I take it. Tomorrow, I'll tell ya how that worked out for me.
PEACE&GREASE.

Rotating my odometer.

It never fails.. I am seldom able to hit the road at the pre determined time. Yesterday was no different. My plan was to be on the road at 9am. I am yet to reach the point of personal growth that I can for-see the future. Even the weather bitch had it in for me. Clear blue sky's was the liars forecast for the day. She has lied to me so many times that I have gotten into the habit of seeking out a second opinion. After looking at the radar maps, I was confident that the she-bitch had finally got it right.... Wrong. All my gear for an 18day journey is packed and sitting on the patio. I head back into the house to get that other thing that I forgot and I'm thinking about Charlie The Nomad and the 5 things he takes on the road that he really doesn't need. (He once told me that he limits himself to taking only 5 items other than what makes the bike run.) Then I hear it. Rain is beating on the metal roof of my house. Damn. At 11am I am finally pulling out of my driveway.. I had made it. I was on my way with the wind in my hair and the sun in my face.... for all of seven miles. Up ahead, on the shoulder of the road sat one of my garbage trucks.. As I should do I pull over to check on the situation.. After fixing a blown air line I was back in the wind and one of my money makers was back to work..

My wife lives 14 miles north of Interstate 40. As I pull onto the interstate and settle into 5th gear it occurs to me once again, my journey has begun... It's a mind set that I enjoy dwelling on. You have heard it a hundred times.. "It's the journey, not the destination." I enjoy getting into that frame of mind.. It never fails. When I pass a bike on a trailer I know that I am blessed. My journey has already started and for whatever reason, that trailer hauler will miss the journey. He will only know of the destination.

Speaking of destinations... I sometimes wander when I ride but this trip I have a set of destinations.. my first stop on this journey is Hammond, Louisiana to spend some time with a friend. More about Mr. Charles Eldridge, Later. The Lonestar Rally in Galveston, tx is in my plan. as is Arizona, California and hopefully an endurance run to Key West. then back home to Tennessee. Total mileage will be around 6500miles.

It is my hope to write about this trip every day and if I can find internet service, I want to share these writings with you. I'm 400miles into this journey. As the sun set and the temperature dropped into the 50's, I found myself in Meridian, Miss. Dinner, drinks with a clown on Halloween night and then a $40 hotel room I find myself in a content frame of mind.... Until we meet again, PEACE&GREASE.

It's all about them Boots.

Sense the beginning of my time, I have admired men in boots. It's a respect thing. The men who have taught me what I wanted to know wore boots. There have been many loafer wearing people who have been compelled to teach me. I have always questioned why these people were motivated to teach me Algebra or rules or sunday school songs or the traffic laws. Don't get me wrong. I have learned and used valuable information from people who were wearing slide on shoes but most of what I have learned, I've learned from people who wore boots. The music teacher who gave me an appreciation and understanding of music structure. He wore a pair of  slip on loafers with a tassel on top of each shoe. I have been friends with my banker for over 15 years and in that time he has taught me all kinds of things about personal and business financial matters. He wears his loafers because they are part of his occupations wardrobe. He wears boots when he doesn't have to dress up for work so I consider him a boot wearer and he's OK in my book.

I was raised by a man who wore slip on shoes because his chosen occupation was The Preacher at the Southern Baptist Church in town. I was your typical preachers son, I rebelled against everything and I was good at it. I rebelled at such an elevated level that the preacher gave up hope on me and when I was 13yrs old he said to me "You will not listen to me. If you ever want my advise you will have to ask for it. I'm done trying to get you to do right". for the next four years we avoided each other as best we could. At 17 I joined the Army just to get away.

When I was a kid there were a few men in our community that I would spend my time with. These were the men that raised me and they all wore boots. The man that lived across the road from us was in his 30's when I was 7yrs old and he had an 40's model Chevy coupe. I would be at his house every time his garage door  opened. We worked on everything from the lawn mower and weed eater to the washing machine. His wife would bring us sandwiches when he had a major project going and Mr. Al would share with me some of his knowledge  and a whole lot of history. I don't recall ever seeing him in anything other than work boots. He taught me about hand tools and leverage, how to read a tape measure and how to shake hands "like a man".

Mr. Jone's wife hired me to do some chores and stack some firewood when I was 12. When Mr. Jone's got home he fussed at his wife for hiring me to do what he would of got around to but then he took the time to inspect what I had done. He then asked if he could call on me if ever a project came up that he needed help with. "Yes Sir. I would like that." For the next 5 years Mr.Paul and I worked on everything from roofing houses and hanging drywall to how to clean a gun and field dress a deer. From 15 to 17, I ate more meals with his family than I did with my own. Mr. Paul wore boots and he was suspicious of anyone who didn't.

The man who taught me to weld wore boots. So did the man who taught me to fish and work on motors. So did the man who taught me about carpentry and hunting. The people who have taught me about motorcycles and refurbishing old cars and trucks all wore work boots. These men also taught me other things. Some good some bad. How to get into trouble. How to respect a woman. How to deal with people. How to be considerate of others and how to be open minded and accepting of others. These men also taught me how to be a man. To stand up for the weak. To be honest. To not spread gossip. To confront the person I have a problem with.  I have learned that people who wear work boots are more likely to be worthy of my trust than people who wear loafers. I have been fooled a few times and it has shook me to my foundation once or twice. I have known the man who wore work boots because he was portraying an image. That man was not being honest with me or himself. He didn't fit in those boots and come to find out, that was not the only fake thing about him.

One of the things that was taught to me was an understanding that if I was open minded enough  I would find that there are some people who don't wear work boots who are great people. I have met a few who wore cowboy boots and a small few who even wore loafers that were some of the greatest people on planet Earth. One of the things I have learned and that has served me well is this... "People like people who are like themselves". go ahead and read that again. You look at any picture of any group of people and all the people in that picture are dressed the same. To get along you have to fit in with the group you are trying to fit into. Go to the local diner one morning and look at the people sitting at the lairs table. all of them are dressed the same. Now if these people are not open minded, they will never open up and welcome someone who is wearing shoes that are different than what they are wearing. lets say tennis shoes. It takes an open minded person to make friends with someone who is not like themselves. But an open minded guy wearing work boots can meet some of the best people.

At the Sturgis rally this year I was working with Cycle Source Magazine and Rally TV. We were set up next to a Female Roller Derby team and their track. Being neighbors we shared a few meals together, a bike ride for a photo shoot and more than a few beers at night around a hobo burn barrel. The owners of these chucks was, in my opinion, the leader of the Derby team. One evening after a small mini bike wreck, I was laid out next to the burn barrel and I had a conversation with the owner of these shoes.. As the captain of the Roller Derby team and an on air radio personality, I was highly impressed with this 24 yr old lady, the depth of her knowledge and the passion she had found in her life. We talked for over an hour and we have maintained contact sense then. I was impressed with the quality of this lady, the fact that she is 24 and beautiful had no bearing on our time together. She is an old soul and I am glad that I met her. I know that she would be just as comfortable in a pair of work boots.

Put on your boots. Get on your bike and ride. Be open minded when you meet someone. Enjoy the uniqueness of each person you encounter. Don't write him off because he is 70 yrs old. Give him time and he will tell you about when he was 17 and rode his Ducati motorcycle from Florida to Wisconsin to see his grandmother. ya, true story. Give people a chance, they will enrich your life. Then ask yourself, does he fit in his work boots.?? 

Until next time... PEACE&GREASE.