I H8 BELLEVUE

Every once in a while...

2009-12-10T16:22:00.001-08:00

Rarely does it happen, but every once in a while a modern country musician makes a song that's worth a damn. I believe this one fits the bill.

When I'm a little older

2009-11-29T21:13:00.000-08:00

When I'm a little older, a bike built in a style similar to Cole's here is where I'm headed. No fancy pants fabrication, just pure style.

"Never waste the opportunities offered by a good crisis..."

2009-11-11T15:39:00.000-08:00

Little sissy

2009-10-16T10:03:00.001-07:00

For a place that's perceived to get alot of rain, the grass sure does get brown during the summer around here.

And yes, the sidecar tire did ride like a 2 x 4 due to the stiff sidewall. That said, it handled just fine.

A bit hipster maybe...

2009-10-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

but pretty good. My taste in music is an awful lot like my taste in motorcycles and custom cars: I'm open to anything, as long as it's done real well.

Zen

2009-10-13T09:17:00.001-07:00

For the Poon

2009-10-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

Come visit soon Jon. Bring your friend Grant with you. I know, I know. I need to come down there. I will someday. Maybe on a motorcycle when I'm older and grayer.

Just a good song

2009-10-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

From what seems like a time when a song could just be a good song.

Vard Forks

2009-09-29T23:32:00.000-07:00

One very, very small step up from springer performance...except springers don't spray you with fork oil every time you hit a bump. The cool cast bronze trees and sliders made up for it. Sort of.

I've been busy

2009-09-28T20:56:00.001-07:00

My apologies for not updating this thing lately. I'm just very, very busy. This is my friend Rolf's Model A. I'm writing a story on it now. This image makes me smile because it captures what a Hot Rod is meant to be - a real world cartoon.

Preach it Merle

2009-08-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

Time to Move On

2009-08-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

The '53 is up for sale. Need to sell it to buy a truck that won't kill me, and to free up funds to finish the '63 Pan.

I hope a 23 year old kid with skinny jeans, a floppy haircut, and a fat insurance check doesn't end up with it. Unless he's the type of kid who enjoys working on bikes more than riding them. Then it'd be cool.

Pajamas help in the creative process

2009-08-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

The mosquitos were ruthless

2009-07-28T19:39:00.001-07:00

Those pointy nosed fuckers.

Yes

2009-07-27T20:19:00.000-07:00

"Daddy, is that a race track?"
Yes.

"Can we drive on it?"

Yes, let's do that.

"Daddy, are those raspberries?"
Yes.
"Can we pick them?"
Yes, let's pick them.

hatetoquitit

2009-07-24T11:03:00.001-07:00

It's nice here at the camp.

The kids are having a ball.

I always thought he was the one...

2009-07-17T19:06:00.001-07:00

I'd be building a bike with someday. I may be wrong.

Solid selection on that table

2009-07-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Song's good too. It's hard not to like Waylon Jennings, and although I'm not a big Hank Jr. fan, I do respect his place in the game. He could have just kept on doing what his daddy did (which was very, very good) but he headed his own direction; occasionally for better, but most often for worse. Still, he did it his way.

The city at night

2009-07-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

Jake and I went out for a 10pm ride around the city the other night. Very little traffic, nice weather, and plenty of neat stuff to look at.

A great 4th of July weekend

2009-07-06T09:13:00.000-07:00

We had a really fun 4th of July weekend up in the mountains with friends and their little ones. Most of our time was spent relaxing at the pool. The kids had a blast in the water, as did the adults.

Jake taught the girls about photosynthesis.

The young lady hunted for trolls, gnomes, fairies, and other manner of things that could live in a forest by a river.

The big guy had a blast exploring, playing soccer, roasting marshmallows, and swimming. He's part fish.

Hooray for the 4th of July!

Take it to the bridge

2009-06-30T21:24:00.001-07:00

I've had plenty of the stuff above for a bit. Mind you, it's a very nice car.

I'm looking forward to spending some time down by the river.

A nice late-June weekend

2009-06-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I rode the Panhead a couple of hours south to photograph a car show I have to write a story on. I had little, if any interest in going to it, but money talks. Really, I just wanted to relax at home and hang out with the wife and kiddos.

The ride was good, but it was solo. I got there, took pictures, said hello to friends, and promptly got back on the bike and headed home. Seven hours in total - four on the '53, two at the show, and one spent in ten minute increments at numerous gas stops.

Sunday was more relaxing, which was much needed. Some friends invited us out for the day on their boat.

The kids had a great time.

We cruised by Gas Works park and under many bridges. We saw lots of amazing homes on the shore of Lake Washington, and probably ate and drank a little too much.

We saw lots of float planes taking off and landing against a beautiful city backdrop too.

What a beautiful day. Thanks Jon, Torin, Erik, and Stefan.

The honey stick

2009-06-23T17:19:00.001-07:00

There's a guy at the Sunday Farmer's Market who sells little straws filled with honey. The kids like 'em. I do too.

Animals and Reptiles

2009-06-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

The barrista at my out-of-office office (coffee shop) has this cranked to 11 right now, and there are literally people dancing. Dancing in a coffee shop in the middle of the day. Partying for four minutes.

I gotta' give it up to the girl, she's influenced a good share of my musical taste lately and has made me realize that all chick musicians don't have to make, well, girl music.

Overcast

2009-06-14T22:50:00.000-07:00

10 days of sun in Seattle, but on the 11th day - the day I want to shoot the bike above - completely overcast. Shit.

Girl guitar

2009-06-12T12:49:00.000-07:00

She get's trashy with that guitar. I like that.

Back on the road

2009-06-01T13:21:00.001-07:00

Pic. of the '53 in its last incarnation. It's quite different now. More go, less show. Took it out this a.m. and ruined some pants. Overfilled the oil tank and popped the plug. Waist down 6o weight oil sauna. They should offer that at the local spas for $145, it's very relaxing.

Pic. by Good Luck Gary

The Modern Day Deborah Harry

2009-05-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

Karen O is talented.

Go to the mountains

2009-05-25T21:56:00.000-07:00

Over the Holiday weekend we got out of town and went to Mt. Rainier, courteousy of the parent-in-laws. They're very nice. This amazing waterfall was about 1/4 of a mile from our back door. As you hiked the trail down to it, the air became denser, cooler, and unbelievably crisp and clean. It smelled the way air is supposed to smell. I sat by the waterfall for quite a while, drank some water, and took some pictures. The water came from melted snowpac and tasted as good (if not better) than the air smelled. I used it to make coffee one morning, and that was good coffee.

The big guy figured out how to swim without floaties. Between the pool, the hot tub, the woods, and having a handful of kids to play with, he was about as happy as a six year old could be.

The girls had a blast and were happy too.

This dog could play soccer. He was good and I could tell he was also happy. If I was a dog I'd want to live in the country.

Each night ended with a big campfire put on by the staff with s'mores, soda, wine, and beer. people really enjoyed themselves. I'd like to spend more time with my family in the mountains. I think I will.

Even though it's old news...

2009-05-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

It does have a certain something to it.

Much Deserved

2009-05-02T17:07:00.001-07:00

Jake made the current issue of 'The Horse, Backstreet Choppers'

I'm happy for Jake.

Thanks to Nelson Kanno for facilitating it.

Ornament of the hood

2009-04-10T13:17:00.001-07:00

Dad

2009-04-07T09:33:00.001-07:00

Dad was out to visit a couple weeks back from NY. He had a good time with the kids, helped me do the front brakes on my truck, and lent a hand with all sorts of little house projects. Wish I could see him more often.

Slow and steady...

2009-03-24T12:53:00.000-07:00

The little garage

2009-03-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

I would like to pick this garage up and set it down next to the river that runs through Winthrop, Washington. The large door would face the river and overlook the mountains.

Inside- One candle chandelier, 25 candles, two LazyBoys, one cooler full of Virgil's Root Beer, five bags of lump charcoal, one box of matches, one stack of old newspapers, one large metal spatula, one set of metal tongs, one large wire brush, one coffee can with holes to start charcoal, nothing else.

Outside- one charcoal grill, two Adirondack chairs.

Cannery Row

2009-03-20T19:03:00.001-07:00

Read this book. Share it with your friends. If they don't like it, find new friends.

Metal forming hammers

2009-03-13T12:45:00.001-07:00

Four

2009-03-07T15:23:00.001-08:00

The new issue is on the stands.

1.

2.

3.

4.

It does have a certain something to it

2009-03-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

Every now and then I run across a song that isn't my style, but I sort of understand. I guess that's the case here.

My city exploration companion

2009-03-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

She's a real pleasure to take out on the town. Everything is interesting to her, she never asks for anything other than food or drink, and she smiles an awful lot.

Meat

2009-03-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

1. Know in detail what you're eating eats.

2. Know how the animal lived. Did it spend its life stuffed in a warehouse, unable to walk & graze and surrounded by its own feces, pumped full of antibiotics just to stay alive due to it, or did it roam around like an animal normally would?

3. Know your rancher. Good meat comes from people who are accountable for their animals from birth to slaughter. You'll pay more for a product from a small producer, but you'll get more from it.

4. Read Hugh Fernley's book The River Cottage Meat Book to learn about meat. It's the smartest piece of writing I've ever read on the subject and every carnivore could learn a lot from it.

Working on an entirely different level

2009-02-28T18:41:00.000-08:00

It's difficult to explain how amazing my friend Josh's current race car project is.

The fact that it will be period-perfect to the late 50's is neat. The fact that he'll race the wheels off it and let his friends drive it at the track whenever they see fit - very neat. His building so, so much of the car from scratch is what just leaves me scratching my head at how someone can have so much talent.

The nose, the hoods, the hood sides, the formed aluminum toneau that covers the place where the driver and passenger would normally sit...all Josh's work. I say "would normally sit" because the motor in this car - an injected Hemi - now sets behind the driver. The tube frame is entirely Josh's handy work too.

He'll rebuild the insanely powerful motor himself, along with the archaic fuel injection set-up. Same for the transmission, rear end, building the floor, wiring and plumbing the car...ugh! The guy cast his own steering wheel!

I wish I could be like Josh. And make no mistake, it has nothing to do with his ability to build race cars, perfect-to-a-T Hot Rods, or to be a musical prodigy. It's much more than that.

I hope it makes it

2009-02-25T11:43:00.001-08:00

It certainly deserves to.

The Ballard Locks

2009-02-22T08:56:00.001-08:00

Leah and I took a trip down the road to the Ballard Locks. In this pic. a large boat had just been lowered down on the right side. Left side water high, right side water low.

L for Leah. This is one of the dividers in the fish ladders. The fish get beyond the L, back 'er in, and can rest there.

Low maintenance kid.

Nice sun set shot from the bluff near our house on the way home.

Jake's childhood hero

2009-02-19T13:36:00.001-08:00

They were made for more than walking.

I need one of these masks

2009-02-19T13:33:00.000-08:00

Good for keeping the lungs healthy in mid-day traffic.

Keep on Rollin'

2009-02-10T10:51:00.001-08:00

Finally going to run

2009-02-06T12:18:00.001-08:00

Keep an eye on the next issue of the magazine Greasy Kulture for Jason's truck. Not my favorite name for a magazine, but the quality of the vehicles Guy runs is top notch and he puts together a tidy little quarterly publication.

Seven and One Half Minutes of Fame

2009-02-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

Jake and I went down to the net sheds yesterday to get pic.'s of his Sportster for a hopeful magazine piece. Maybe he'll get his seven and one half minutes of fame with this bike. I say seven and one half because he'll definitely get the other 7.5 with the swingarm Panhead he's currently building.

Bakugan

2009-02-04T00:43:00.001-08:00

These are a few of Logan's Bakugan Battle Brawlers. Each one comes with a playing card with a thin piece of metal in it. With two players, you line up two cards head-to-head. The first player tries to roll his Bakugan over the opposing players card, and vice-versa.

When the Bakugan's internal magnet connects with the metal in the card, the Bakugan automatically opens. If player two can roll his Bakugan onto the card player one did, the two players then fight by comparing powers and abilities found on a second card. If player two misses the card player one is on, he loses his Bakugan to player one.

Pretty neat.

It'll All Pan Out

2009-01-31T21:45:00.000-08:00

Nice

2009-01-29T16:16:00.001-08:00

Quite a bit of garbage gets talked on choppers with modern Harely engines (EVO's), but I can't see anything wrong with this one. When I get over my fascination with old, unreliable stuff that makes me crazy I'm doing something like the bike above - something that will take me across the country and back with no problems.

And yes, I know...you're super hardcore and you would ride your Flatty, Knuckle, Pan, or Shovel across the country without a second thought.

Do it. I dare you. Send pictures from along the way.

I laughed

2009-01-28T08:57:00.001-08:00

Bless them

2009-01-24T20:01:00.000-08:00

Part 2

Bless the Bloody Mary. Bless the trashy guitar solo. And bless the Supersuckers. In fact, bless them many times. Bless them so many times that they need a part A and a part B in their YouTube videos to contain their awesomeness!

Getting going on the story for this one soon

2009-01-22T15:50:00.001-08:00

Old 45 dirt track racer I'm writing a magazine piece on. I have a ton of bikes and cars lined up to shoot for the coming fair weather months. Now if I can just figure out a way to make a living doing this...

Unlikely.

I am optimistic

2009-01-20T09:58:00.001-08:00

Love

2009-01-14T14:59:00.001-08:00

Three Two

2009-01-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

Wish they were made here

2009-01-10T12:08:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since Vans were made in the US. I wish they still were and I wish they were made of better quality materials too. I wish a lot of things were made here and of better quality.

I'm tired of this disposable, outsourced lifestyle.

Alas, the vast majority of folks in this country want something for as close to nothing as possible, and they'll suffer inferior quality to get it, only to use it once or twice, throw it away, and move on to the next thing. It's the American way.

Wheel & Needle

2009-01-02T20:54:00.001-08:00

Spent a good share of our time near these lately: Ice skating, one ring circus, climbing bronze whales, the list goes on. Plenty of homeless folks around the area at night, but they don't bother us. We like Seattle Center, especially at night.

Beautiful

2008-12-16T20:55:00.000-08:00

This was shot while driving west over the 520 bridge last week, just before Husky Stadium. No fancy PhotoShop tricks or pegged camera saturation, just a 50mm lens with a polarizer.

Fire up the Hydro

2008-12-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

Big guy and I checked out the Hydroplane Museum today. This is him at the wheel of Ms. Budweiser from 1968. He didn't get it to go 190mph like they did back in the day, but he enjoyed the ride.

Its motivation - an airplane motor.

Even guys who like to go fast have senses of humor.

Less may be best when it comes to design...

2008-12-12T13:15:00.001-08:00

but more is king when it comes to Christmas lights. I love our neighborhood.

Almost there

2008-12-09T09:08:00.001-08:00

Just finished the first draft of a memorial piece I'm writing on John Shoemaker. John died a racers death last March at over 270 mph in a top fuel drag car. It was a sad day in the history of drag racing.

Writing about people's hot rods, race cars, and motorcycles is easy. Trying to represent their entire lives in 1500 words or less is not. This one's been a challenge for sure! It's a great honor though and I've really enjoyed getting to know Judee and Jim Shoemaker, along with other friends of the family. Great people!

As as a teaser, here's a picture from the Shoemaker photo archives of John's first dedicated drag car, an altered wheelbase '34 Ford.

The other pictures from the photo collection are amazing too. Basically, they're a walk through the history of drag racing, ranging from the late 50's to last year. Pending acts of God or Editors, the feature will run in the Spring 2009 issue of Traditional Rod & Kulture Magazine.

No more yanky my wanky...

2008-12-08T18:37:00.000-08:00

Kills me every time. My adopted brother is Asian and turned into 'The Donger' whenever he'd get lit up as a kid.

Old 45 Racer

2008-12-08T10:09:00.001-08:00

I shot this old privateer flat track bike my friend Casey restored last week. Sadly, on the same day I was taking pic.'s, Casey was in surgery having his second kidney removed. What a bummer. The bike is now owned by the local HD store and the kid in the picture, Ty, helped me load, unload, and jockey it around. Nice guy.

Coffee Shop Sunset & Living Room Sunrise

2008-12-04T18:12:00.000-08:00

Did a little writing last night from my favorite coffee place. Nice sunset off the back deck.

And here's this morning's sunrise from the living room. The hump on the horizon is Mt. Rainier.

Nelson

2008-12-04T10:11:00.001-08:00

It's a pretty small world. Four or so years back a former friend and I were heading to a swap meet and he said "hey, we gotta' pick this other dude up." OK. We grabbed the guy, headed off to the swap meet, and moved on. Little did I realize that the guy we picked up would fast become one of my closest, if not my closest friend. That dude was Josh Higgins.

So I'm into Harleys at the time along with cars. I try to pull Josh over to the dark side of cycles due to not having anyone with an old bike to ride with and I offer up a rough Indian Sport Scout to him for free, but he won't budge. He's a Hot Rod guy. In fact, in the world of period-perfect Hot Rods he's fast becoming one of THEE Hot Rod guys. Just don't tell him I said that.

At-any-rate, we'd banter endlessly over how cars were cooler than bikes or vice-versa from my end, and somewhere along the way Josh mentioned that his roommate in Hawaii, as well as in LA was into choppers. Neat. Long story short, his roommate for years was Nelson Kanno.

Nelson has shot and written for magazines for a long time now and has something like 200 or so articles under his belt. I've gotten to know him a little over the past couple of years; spent some time talking with him on the phone and such, and he's shared quite a bit of valuable info. about how not to get smoked in the magazine game with me. Real cool guy, a hard worker, and does what most just talk about.

So, while Josh and Nelson were living in Hawaii, Nelson built the bike below. At the time, the Japanese had just hit the underground Harley thing full-bore, so being half Japanese, Nelson saw an opportunity and sold the chopper to someone over there for more than he'd have ever gotten here in the US.

He then took the cash from the sale of his Shovel and proceeded to build this clean, 50's style Knucklehead.

Good dude with good taste. Aloha.

Mandrew and His Girl

2008-12-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

A buddy and his girlfriend. Good looking couple.

Winter Issue of R&K Hits the Stands Soon

2008-12-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

Just received my contributors copy. It'll hit the stands on December 6th, but here's a sneak peak.

A feature I shot and wrote on a friend's Indian Chief is included. I'm really happy with the layout guy's work on this one and the way he used my images.

The Indian is something else, and one of many in the owner's collection.

I also did a story on Hotrod-A-Rama, a show my friends put on up here. For every 100 garbage car shows, there's one like this. It's an absolute blast.

I know times are tough, but go buy a copy of the mag. if you can. You'll be supporting an independently created and produced magazine put together by a handful of small-timers who do it for the love. You can find copies at Barnes & Nobles or here.

Gone

2008-12-01T18:28:00.000-08:00

Sold within 24 hours of advertising it. The cool part: A 14 year old girl and her dad bought it to re-do for her first vehicle. I like that.

G8 of H8

2008-11-24T13:26:00.000-08:00

Gate at the entrance of an access road that leads down to one of the boat yards in the neighborhood.

Ouch.

Sunday

2008-11-23T18:53:00.001-08:00

Nice day here - went out for a walk with the team. Something is a little off in this photo.

Too much camera gets you the stink eye.

Not only do the shoes go on the hands, the sunglasses are worn upside down. Ruler.

Ring leader, chief commander, backup photographer, and wifester.

Less Plastic

2008-11-21T15:19:00.001-08:00

It'd be neat if newer cars had some metal in their interiors. Maybe some weirdo material on the seats too.

Wait, a lot of new cars do have weirdo material on the seats now. No metal though, just plastic. I wish the retro design thing would end and people who like old things could live their lives knowing that what they love isn't being bastardized "with a twist" by some "modern" designer who can't come up with something original of his or her own.

Really though, none of it matters, right? My old Custom 500 that the kid I sold it to nearly destroyed immediately. Note super cool leave the headlights on for picture move. Ugh.

Time for it to go

2008-11-17T09:31:00.001-08:00

Went out and took some pictures of the old Studebaker yesterday. Time for it to go to a new home.

I had high hopes for the old thing, but I'm trying to simplify and am selling most of my projects. I'd rather spend the time with the family.

One happy running old Harley, one Harley project, and that's it. Less is more, more or less. Oh, and don't park there, OK?

'40 Mercury

2008-11-10T15:00:00.001-08:00

Clean one from over the summer at Billetproof NW, a car show thinger. The car was on a poker run we went on too, which was cool. Always good to see folks driving 'em.

In the name of beauty

2008-11-04T15:10:00.001-08:00

Respect the corset and the corset will respect you. Disrespect the corset and you'll end up like the lovely lady above.

Ah, the things people do and have done in the name of beauty.

Fall in Seattle

2008-11-02T09:08:00.001-08:00

We see a lot of this in Seattle this time of year - Gray. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't rain constantly here. We also don't set around and listen to Nirvana 24 hrs. a day drinking overpriced coffee. Well, at least my family doesn't.

Big guy just wrapped up his final soccer game and had his end of year party. I have no reservations about admitting that Logan's soccer games were the highlights of my past couple months. Watching those little kids play & enjoy themselves without a care about the economy, their jobs, old motorcycles, etc. was pure and perfect. Such a good reminder of what's really important. Really hippy shit, I know.

Other than a couple family members, a few friends, and my Mom's restaurant, there aren't many things I miss about the east coast. I do miss the changing of the leaves, with their bright colors and I miss the crispness in the fall air that causes those bright colors. For reasons I'm unclear of, our leaves out here were quite vibrant this year. The tree above is in our backyard and there were lots of them with similar colors around the 'hood. It was nice.

Lame

2008-10-30T14:50:00.001-07:00

Regardless of the price of gas, mopeds will always be lame. Always.

Things will slow down

2008-10-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

With a much needed career change in the works, obligations to family, etc. shit is pretty heavy right now. I'm Going to focus my energy on what's important and that's not the blogger. I'll toss a little something up on the cars & bikes I'm taking pictures of and writing about or other occasional life adventures and random nonsense now and then, but it's time to hunker down.

Pic. of my Pan above by Good Luck Gary.

Thanks, Anthony

Hold

2008-10-24T09:20:00.001-07:00

If you're milling, you better be holding. These little buggers hold the item your working on to the table.

Replace Crayons with Letter R

2008-10-23T09:54:00.001-07:00

Lifted

2008-10-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

From all of the pictures coming out of the desert of SoCal I've seen in mag.'s over the years, I've always wondered if the sky was really that blue. Yep, it is. Magnet crane from a friend of my buddy's scrap yard in Bakersfield. I guess it'll suck your keys out of your pocket if you get too close.

Back in the game

2008-10-20T22:53:00.001-07:00

Soon it'll see backroads again. And city streets. Highways too.

I wish I could just ride off into it...

2008-10-20T13:50:00.001-07:00

...because the state of our economy has me real, real worried. Sorry to be a downer but it's what's on my mind right now.

Monsters

2008-10-16T21:06:00.000-07:00

There were a handful of these at The Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield last weekend. Yes, they're every bit as short as they look. Yes, that motor is as big as it looks. They're generally Hemi powered and run on nitro and the sound is pure glory.

Insane-o paint work. Fogging, panels, freak dots, fades, cobwebbing...you name it, these cars generally had it done to them paint-wise.

Just remember this...

2008-10-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

Fucking A!

My friend Mike

2008-10-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest people I know. And you know what's rad? His amps really do go to 11.

Fireball'n

2008-10-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

Back from Bakersfield

2008-10-14T00:06:00.000-07:00

The Hot Rod Reunion was one hell of a good time. There were an obscene number of vintage drag cars running hard, cool parts at the swap, and Hot Rods at Famoso raceway. That place is holy ground for sure.

Many of us were on hand to support my dear friend Steve in the loss of his late friend and partner in The American Eagle car John Shoemaker. John was an amazing dragster chassis builder and racer and I was so happy to spend time with his family and close friends again. Great people. Here's more about John, who was honored at the event and I'll be writing a story about shortly http://www.nitrogeezers.com/john_shoemaker.htm

I brought a camera, but found myself taking few pic.'s as I just wanted to have fun and enjoy the good company. The pic. above is of two Washington state buddies Hot Rods, along with our mini-van. We flew, they drove. They rule.

Here's Gary Ormsby Jr. and Corry, my friend Steve's awesome wife. Gary's dad brought sponsorship to drag racing and drove top fuel cars. Gary Jr. does the same. Nice guy.

BFF Josh (kneeling) and buddy Marshal looking over the Speed Sport car. The car is a Hemi powered, nitro burning '27 Model T with a track nose and the motor in the rear. With no traction, it ran in the high 8's in the quarter mile at over 160 mph. Pretty important car to drag racing and the owners were very nice. Josh is building a very similar car from a model A as we speak, injected Hemi and all. It's nutso.

And here's Steve, doing what he does best- Making shit happen. Great trip, great track, great cars, great friends, and a great wife for holding down the fort for a few days and keeping the team in check.

On the streets of Bakersfield

2008-10-10T08:01:00.001-07:00

I won't be posting much over the next couple of days, as a crew of us are in Bakersfield for The Hot Rod Reunion. We ate at the place above last night, which is a Basque restaurant. I think Basque = grab whatever is leftover and serve it to people in a multiple course meal. Cow tongue, soup with salsa and beans in it, salad, spaghetti, cottage cheese with chopped chives...weird.

At-any-rate, Bakersfield is holy ground for vintage drag racing and there's ten of us down here in this dust bowl so it's a good time. I've heard the area surrounding the track is beautiful and that they farm flowers there. That'll be a welcome change because the town...well, it sucks.

Spindle mount

2008-10-08T12:13:00.001-07:00

I was over at my friend Mike Soldano's taking some pic.'s of amps for him yesterday and snapped this one of a project he's working on. Mike is a true Hot Rod guy and an amazing and meticulous fabricator. This Radir is off a T he's building for a friend.

When you're too lazy to ollie

2008-10-06T15:23:00.001-07:00

I don't skate much anymore except when Logan and I go to the skateparks, but I still keep up with it all. Here's a pretty neat ad for Sky Hooks from a 1978 issue of Skateboarder Magazine. The boards didn't have the right shape at the time for a good ollie but guys wanted to take it to the air and this was one way to do it. Weird.

Like the show

2008-10-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

The Vampire thing had nearly buckled under its own weight until True Blood came along. HBO show that's pretty damn fun. Blood, guts, naked girls, bars, guitars, hillbillies, guns...pretty much covering all of my bases. Check it out.

Josh Higgins is a mad man!

2008-10-03T12:23:00.001-07:00

Real Ford flathead. Real long time on the bandsaw. Real long time painting and assembling. Real, real impressive.

T-Bird

2008-10-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

I like this era of T-Bird. The factory sure got it right on the design and all it takes to make one swanky is a good lowering and the right width whitewalls. A car like this will get you laid.

Morning

2008-10-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Morning wood, old growth style. The big ones are 40+ feet long.

Congratulations wife

2008-09-30T08:27:00.001-07:00

Real proud of ya'.

Swindlers Poker Run, 2008

2008-09-28T12:56:00.001-07:00

Yesterday my friends and I went on a little poker run put on by The World Famous Swindlers of Mt. Vernon, Washington. A bunch of the folks on the run asked to see what I was shooting, and as it's tough to email a lot of pic.'s, here are a handful.

150+ miles driven on the run
52 hot rods and customs
An experience so pure it's tough to put words to it

I had a really, really great time. Thanks to each of you for the great company and thanks to Mike and Josh for letting me ride along and for being Mike and Josh.

Swindlers Poker Run, 2008

2008-09-28T12:51:00.000-07:00