With all the things goin' on in my life, one always needs something to look forward to. For me, it was
working with my buddy Mark Bradshaw at his bar called the "Hideaway" in Cave Creek Arizona. After
spending a week in Sturgis with the weather fluctuating between 20 & 40 degrees while driving a 1946
Husdon pick-up truck WITH NO HEATER!
Arriving in Phoenix in the AM knowing I had a 250-mile drive home only to have time for a quick shower, pack
a small bag. Now, here comes the fun and games in my freaky 124"
S&S Baker Six Speed FXR and roll up I-10
at neck breaking speed to catch the Brett Michael's concert at West World. My bike ran like a Swiss watch!
Arriving with time to spare, it gave me a chance to wind down from my ride and visit with some of the industry.
My hats off to Brian Klock for the Bagger windshield he & the crew at Klock Works invented! First &
foremost, it actually looks good! Better than that, it could save lives & make the ride more enjoyable by
directing the air OVER your head instead the reverse circular wind that blows your hair forward and beards that
float upright of ones face. With the many hours of wind-tunnel testing, Brian's windshield actually puts down-force
on the front and keeps it from floating at high speeds! What's really cool is why he invented it: "The love of
his wife Laura". For those of you that don't know, she is the pilot of the World's Fastest Bagger and at 140+,
her front end was all over the place after installing the new Klock Winshield, Laura set another record with a
more stable ride at a higher rate of speed! Brian's crew was busier then one arm paper hangers installing his
new invention. Maybe after all these kind words, he'll sell me one at dealer cost.
Also talked to Jim Nasi. He said he had just returned from a parent-teacher conference. I thought that was code
talk for having gone to a stripper joint but he assured me that he was for real. Having sold two bikes and getting
riddled with questions about his Nasi Harley add-ons, Jim seemed very content and confident that our industry has
seen the worst of times and the bust is yet to come. Keep your eyes on Jim & Mike Prughs' web site as they
are collaborating on an amazing product. Can't say what it is, but I sure want one and so will many of you!
Met the owner of Kount Customs for the fist time. He's a hell of a nice man with a great eye for a bike design.
Each bike he manufactures is a one-off custom. Best of all, most of his customs sport a Sugar Bear Front End.
I am a major fan of Sugar Bear! An icon, legend, and a heart-felt bad-ass who can ride a long bike coast to coast
in record time.
The Vendors all seemed pretty satisfied and Brett Michaels rocked the house.
After the late night cold ride back to Mark's pad, it was hard to sleep in anticipation of our
ride in the morning.
It was on our 9th year for the "Broken Spoke Saloon - Hidaway Ride" that I am honored to lead. This year we
took the Riders to Eric Herman's Shack in the Hills with a view that extended out for over 100 majestic miles.
Great food, good company and a chance to see the digs where Eric's artistic inspiration has elevated him as
on of the top motorcycle artists in the World.
After the ride, the party was at Mark's Hideaway Grill. It was slammed with hotties, paint & chrome, some
good vendors and just one hell of a good vibe. I MC'd the first ever male pole dancing contest. The winner was
a big Hoss who certainly had the ladies purring like kittens. Mark seemed to be worried when I announced the
contest, but it was a hit & pants were pissed with these big-bellied bikers humping the pole.
One of the things I do for Mark is bring one of our 18-wheelers and park it outside the Hideaway. With Patron
giving away cases of tequila, I had a killer buzz on & wasn't about to mount my trusty FXR, so I crawled in
the sleeper of the truck, pulled my leather coat up and slept like a baby. 6AM came quick, with two
soldiers from the Hideaway helping me through the FXR in the Rig. I started jammin' gears on my 250-mile
trek home to Bisbee. Arizona Bike Week was a good time.
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