Renegade Issue 35

This years Sturgis Rat Rod invasion show almost didn’t hap-

pen! Last year we held the first show at the Broken Spoke Sa-

loon campgrounds. Unfortunately, since that time, the venue

was sold to Michael Ballard of Full Throttle Saloon fame. Leav-

ing no more Broken Spoke saloon in Sturgis and leaving me

without a venue to put on the show. With no one really knowing

what was going on with that deal, I was left with

no place to put on the show. So I was not planning on doing

one this year, but as the fates would have it, I got a last minute

call from the people at Iron Horse Saloon in Sturgis asking me

if I was interested doing a rat rod show there.

Despite the short notice, I agreed to put on the show. I only

had a couple of weeks to put it all together. To create a flyer,

to promote the show, build trophies, send out emails, social

media blast, website updates, etc., etc., all while also helping

my girl set up her booth at the Buffalo Chip. After I helped her

get set up

her store I proceeded to get to work on trophies. I didn’t really

have a shop to work out of so I set up behind the bar at the

Buffalo Chip where I was camping for the week. I plugged

into an open socket when no one was looking early in the

morning when most everyone was still sleeping, to run my

welder and plasma cutter.

I know welding in dry grass is not the best of ideas, but you

got to do what you got to do. I kept a close eye on my slag

splatter making sure I didn’t burn down the Buffalo Chip!

I usually have a few trophy parts with me, obviously I can’t

carry a lot with me, but I usually have a few pistons, rods,

gears, etc., stashed someplace in the Renegade assault

vehicle. At the time, I had just enough materials to put to-

gether 5-6 cool trophies, which should be enough for the

show. But then I was asked if

I could also build some more trophies for a Trike show they

were doing earlier in the week. Of course I agreed to do it,

leaving me only enough to build three trophies for my own

show. Not quite my usual quantity or quality, I have to admit

not my best work.

Continued pg. 31

By Scharf