Let my Moonpie go...

When asked to take the role of a leader, Vance stammered at first not being fully confident in his abilities. But with the aide of Rick, who's dreams told of a long journey and severe hardships, baby Vance was ready. When Vance was found along the banks of the Rio Grande in a Circle K shopping basket years ago, the woman who found him raised him to tend green chili fields in Hatch, New Mexico. Finally, in 1976, it was time for the freaks to journey into the world and find their own way. Baby Vance said, " go and take this land, for it is written." So they floundered in the world for 34 years with little manna and only wine to drink. Finally, the 'people' found a place to rest and build a life with others of like minds, different skin colors and funny looking or no hair at all. A blog of Moonpie was cast and all who view it shall be blessed for the rest of their days. This is Moonpies wish for you this Easter.

"Yeah see, where's your Moses now?"- Edward G. Robinson

Jobs we had....

During the summer months when school was out, Rick, Jim Jones and I worked as a motorcycle stunt team in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Oppenheimer and the other scientist would need some relief after doing 'some kind' of research. We would load up our Harley 45's in the truck and go up for the weekend and do seven shows a weekend. Rick was the driver in this picture and I would balance atop Ricks head and Jones shoulders. After the shows we would drink into the early morning hours and then start all over again. Hey, the pay was great. We could each make like $40.00 for the seven shows. After several months Rick bought a ranch in Taos and I bought a cabin in Red River. Jones bought more beer and a Boston terrier.

Other great guys and great bikes..

Steve was a cool guy who I worked with on IBM typewriters 'back in the day'. We were working for the same company and soon became friends. We both loved motorcycles and Steve's was the beast, a Moto-Guzzi. The bike was tough as nails and as I recall, was never broke down. Steve and I had a grand plan to take the Trans Alaska highway trip on our bikes but the trip never happened. The hours we spent talking and dreaming of the trip was worth every minute. Steve was my friend who lived in a converted school bus, complete with a pot-bellied wood stove. I miss Steve and every time that I'm back in Abq. I run up and down Central ave. looking for his van parked at a coffee shop. The Frontier was our late night hangout for coffee. I hope Steve is still out there somewhere riding his Guzzi. Peace bro.

My old 'Land Barge'

My 1973 Caprice Classic that I bought for $700.00 was my super cruiser. This is the car that I gave to my brother Tod after his car caught fire in moms driveway. I only had the car for several months and bought it because winter was coming and I only had my motorcycle. Oh well, I just kept riding the bike all winter. This thing was so smooth on the freeway, you didn't feel like you were doing 120mph at all.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

Dude. I mean.... Ohhhhhh.... yuh. Man. wow. Words just... Ohhhhh.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for style.

I'm dropping out of school

I know I only have a month to go, but I saw this picture and I realize my true life's calling.

Screw the motorcycle -- I want to be the guy driving the lion in the sidecar! Is this the most bitchin' thing you've ever seen, or what?

Rick's Cars #4: 62 Pontiac Tempest

Following the demise of the panel truck, I needed a new vehicle. The boyfriend of a woman who worked with my first wife, Gayle, had a truck for sale -- an old orange Forest Service Dodge. I took a look at it, drove it, liked it. The next night, we met and I gave him the money. When I tried to start the truck, it wouldn't. Long story short, the dick had taken out the brand new battery that had been in there the day before. And drained the gas tank.

I called him and demanded my money back. "I can't," he said."I've already spent the money."
"On what?"
"A car."
"Does it run?"
"Yeah."
"Then give me the car."

And he did. Mine was red with a white top. It was in near original condition. It was an automatic with a switch on the dashboard that you used to shift the gears. It was probably THE hippest car I owned. I think it was also the first car I owned after I got out of the Army.

I was driving home from work one night (I was a cook at a strip club on South Tacoma Way,) and going around a corner, skidded to a halt, after the rear hub sheared off and wedged the tire in the wheel well.

The mechanic who fixed it had to go through half the junkyards in Western Washington in order to find a wrecked one to replace it with.

This was the car I drove in the early days of MTV -- when it was still cool. I was wearing wraparound sunglasses and had fuzzy dice. It was cool.

Eventually, the timing chain broke and trashed the engine. I gave it to the mechanic to cover the costs of the work he'd done.

I was sad to see it go.

My hero artist, Frank Frazetta

I saw my first Playboy magazine when I was about 8 or 9 years old. Several years later our gang of kids in Memphis had a stash of magazines in the woods that we would pull out from time to time to look at. Then in High school, Rick showed me his underground comics with the art work of R. Crumb and his bodacious legs and butts he would draw on his women. Then one day, quite by accident, I opened a Frank Frazetta book and it was if the skies opened and rays of sunshine fell all around me. Gloria Dios! Praise Allah! Holy shit! I have found Val Halla! What ever phrase you would use to exclaim the purest joy of all, I was there. All of Franks popular posters (see college dorm room decorating 101) were the shit. But, if you love the 'art' of Franks, you must study the sketches in black and white. How could one pencil give such detail with the slightest shading?

Thanks Frank.

Congratulations!

1,001 visitors as of just the last few hours. A milestone in Moonpie History.

Selectric II Death

Classic Dr. Gonzo image I had to share.

Work....the other four letter word

Perhaps the worst part of Sundays is knowing that in a few short hours it's back to the grind of work. I guess in the grand scheme of things, I should be grateful. As a Project Manager for a large landscape company serving the Washington, DC Metro area, I get to a lot of interesting places and met different people everyday. This picture was taken in S.W. DC just a block away form the new Washington Nationals Baseball stadium. I'll be standing in this exact spot tomorrow to finish this job then it's off to points unknown for the next challenge.

tit for tat

C'est moi on me first day at da old maison de ecole back in the frozen nort country der eh?