Dennis Hopper

R.I.P

money

If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.
Henry Ford

Al Green

Al Green pre-grits.  I think that most great car or bike builders are trying to find the Al Green in the machine when they build, whether they want to admit it or not.

Shamrock

There were road signs for this little place on Rt.15 for miles. There was a sign in the shape of a big pint of Guinness that must have been 30 feet tall. It was advertised as a taste of Ireland Pub. So we ( four road weary travelers, mostly  tattooed, somewhat sunburned and parched,  near the end of our trip) pulled over for a taste of the emerald isle.
 We were all traveling separately in our own vehicle heading to a car show. So we were talking about how the old vehicles were doing on the drive and how close we were to our destination. Well, I guess we were kind of animated when we walked through the front door of the restaurant, giddy with the excitement of the trip or whatever. None of us were expecting the welcome that we received. I guess this is what people mean when they say that the needle skipped.
 Every person in the restaurant had stopped what they were doing to look at our little group when we crossed the threshold. It may have been the glare from the outside that suddenly goes away and causes temporary blindness that caused me to catch on dead last, but there I am still loud talking and carrying on when I noticed the knickknacks and doilies. There were pressed white table cloths and linen napkins in the shape of swans sitting on the tables near the door. I heard the proverbial pin drop when I looked into the restaurant. There were 38 or more elderly folks and their families staring intently at the four ne'er do wells that had walked in. Though I am sure that they are nice people, they were not expecting "hooligans" to darken their doorstep during their lunch special.
 I felt like I had entered a private room when the waitress approached. She was nice. She smiled graciously and seated us at the other end of the restaurant near the piano. The rest of the patrons slowly returned to their conversations and only glanced at us as if to remind us that there would be no tom foolery. We discussed our options amongst ourselves and in spite of the prices decided to stay for a quick lunch and then back at it.We made small talk that seemed much funnier than it was because we all felt the need to be quiet and not attract attention. I found it hard to keep a straight face, which probably didn't do us any favors as we continued to snicker and carry on in a quiet, well mannered roadside restaurant frequented by locals that knew each other by name.
We talked about the pros and cons of flathead power. We talked about the swap meet at the car show and how we hoped to find some parts that we were looking for. We generally talked about all of the things that car guys talk about when they are doing car things with other guys. We eventually fell back into the comfort of familiarity and our own conversation. We soon forgot all about the uneasy stares and uncomfortable silence.
 The Guiness was good and the onion rings were right on time. But the best part about the outing was when I realized that it was someones birthday and this is the sort of place that makes a big deal out of your birthday. I was expecting the usual singing staff and a rousing chorus of "a happy happy birthday" ala any number of chain restaurants where they expect you to wear flair. When all of the sudden, as if possessed by the spirit, the piano right next to us jumped to life and joined in wishing this loyal patron a happy birthday. It was a player piano. And I had never seen one in person before. The extent of my experience with a player piano had been on television, during old westerns, on a lazy Sunday. This was pretty neat in and of itself. It got better. I was pleasantly surprised to look back at the crowd and see all of their smiling faces looking in our direction and at the piano while smiling. I found out later that the piano was hard to keep in shape and they decided a few years ago to only play it on special occasions.
The candle on the cupcake was lit by the waitress and a wish was made by a sweet faced elderly woman who reminded me of my Great Grandma Macy before she passed. The restaurant brimmed with glee as she blew out the candle and smiled at the well wishers and on lookers. And all of the sudden I felt like I was in it. It was alright for me to be there, just like that. I was a part of this moment.  I was a part of something that was going on in this little town at this little restaurant on the side of Rt.15.

I recommend that you stay off of interstates whenever possible.

The Ones to Blame

Read what that says up there, but it won't tell you everything that there is to know about these gals. The most important thing that I can tell you about them and their music is that they are being true. There is a certain vulnerability about this sort of honesty that is endearing. You should go see them.

Joe Smith Automotive

I know that the history of the shop is fairly well documented on this blog, our website or anywhere else on the internet. But I like to remind people from time to time that I am not Joe Smith.

The shop was started in 1965 by a man named Joe Smith. It was known as Joe Smith's Automotive,Inc for many many years.
Hank Young came into the picture in 1984. He spent eleven  years as a driving force behind the counter and in the shop before he bought the business in 1995. For the next nine years he transformed that shop into his vision of what a hot rod shop should be. For twenty years he poured his blood and sweat into building Joe Smith Antique Ford and Street Rods.

The shop was purchased  again in 2004 and operated as Joe Smith Early Ford and Hot Rod with the leadership of Josh Mills before he moved onto his own shop in 2006.
The business was purchased again in 2009 and moved to VA where it exists today. This blog is used to document the rebirth and growth of  Hot Rod shop in a new location, under new ownership.


This is  Joe Smith Early Ford & Hot Rod. And we are now located in VA. Come by and visit sometime.

thus always to tyrants

sightings

This was right on Rt.15 in MD. And just to the left of the Gateway Market there is a big sign that says -Liquor. Seriously. It is called Gateway Liquors. Read the rest of the story here:

http://www.emmitsburg.net/history_t/archives/business/candyland.htm

tribal connection

No can do this!
No can do that!
What da hell can you do, my friend?
In this place that you call your town

I guess you can't expect much from the hometown
Well I don't know if you can even call it your own
When they don't want you to get near excitement
And in protest to that you just stay home

-Gogol Bordello

sic semper tyrannis

Rev. Archuleta , blushing.

                                             Support your local Roller Derby supporters.

so simple

old friends and eclipses

went out