Renegade Issue 31

Sturgis baby! This was the second show on the road of

the Zombie Apocalypse Tour, and my third trip to Sturgis

bike week. The first time was back on 2005, where my

friends Hillbilly, Matt and I all road from Daytona to Stur-

gis and back, and I have to say it was a great experience,

even with my Shovelhead breaking down at least once a

day….

This time back it’s the 75th anniversary, but this time I

was there to work and put on a rat rod show at the Bro-

ken Spoke Saloon not to party. I couldn’t have done much

even if I wanted to. Unfortunately I only had enough cash

to cover the gas to get to Sturgis, by the time I got there

I had less than $200 to survive on for the week, which is

not an easy thing to do at any bike rally but especially so

at Sturgis, home of the $8.00 beers and $10.00 hot dogs!

It’s not an easy task even in my own hometown to put

together a successful car show, let alone do one on the

road in a town where you don’t have very many connec-

tions. It’s always a little nerve racking the few days before

and at the beginning of the day of the show, not knowing

how it’s all going to turn out.

I arrived about a week early so I would have enough time

to build the trophies for the show, and hoping to get out and

spread the word to the locals about the show. Fortunately my

friend and famous bartender Kimmie Cruz, was kind enough to

take a day off, and drive me around all the back streets of St-

urgis, and surrounding areas looking for cool old rods to invite

to the show. Despite the personal search and passing out of

flyers, I believe most of the cars registered were from the sur-

rounding states, and had heard about the show from the social

media, and Facebook posts.

Trophy time at camp Renegade! I parked my van down at the

end of the RV camp sites, at the last power outlet in the row,

with nothing between me and Bear Butte Mt, which I believe

helped inspire a few of the trophy designs or theme. I had

brought a tub full of old junk parts, aka trophy parts, pistons,

rods, gears, brake rotors, other various pieces and parts, along

with my small flux core wire feed welder. Simply not enough

room in the van to carry all the trophies and still be comfortable

plus I don’t think it would be a good idea to have all that heavy

sharp steel laying all over the Renegade assault vehicle.