Respect man, plain and simple! How fucking hard is that to understand?

For nearly a year now there has been something just gnawing away at my soul.  I have spoken to friends about this issue and each offered me advice of what they thought I should do, what they thought I should say as well as the advice of "fuck it man, leave it be" or "do nothing man, it will all work out in the end".  For the longest time I had done just that, NOTHING!  I had said nothing, I had done nothing and it has eaten me alive!  As you guys know from reading my writing, I have one very simple hard core belief that guides my life.  I live my life by four letters.  I wrote about them last night.  L, L, H & R, Love, Loyalty, Honor and FUCKING RESPECT!  For me, it just can't be any more plain and simple!  I can understand if all people don't live by each and every single one of these letters, it takes time to get the whole theory but I am appalled by those who can't seem to manage to live by any of them!  I am disgusted by people who are users, by people who put themselves above all others and mostly by PHONY people who will step on the necks of those who they pretend to be friends with just so that they can climb a few inches higher so that they can try and grab shit that they have neither earned nor deserve!  They just step on the necks of those around them because they see something that they want!  It is disgusting and it makes me fucking ill!

For one to be loved, one must give love!  For one to have loyalty from others they must first be loyal to someone, to anyone!  For a person to be honored he must first do something honorable!  Most importantly of all this, is for one to EVER be respected, that person must first show respect, to have respect to give respect and truly important is to have some SELF RESPECT! 

If you have been holding this in for so long Jack, what makes you finally spit it out tonight?  What was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back?  Well humor me for a moment and you may understand.  I moved in to my new house about 18 months ago.  You guys have heard me talk about the neighborhood and the people who live here.  Directly across the street from me is an old couple.  He is 91 and she is 94.  Everyday this beautiful woman walks up and down the street holding on to her walker.  Most days, her husband is right by her side, holding her hand, loving her.  When she needs to stop, he does not get bothered by this, he RESPECTS her and waits until she has the strength to carry on.  He is loyal enough not to leave her side after 70 + years together and tonight as I watched the coroner wheel her out of the house on a stretcher to take her to her final resting place, I watched as he honored her by helping to hold the blanket over her as the Dust Storm tried to blow it off.  Once secured, as they placed her body in the van, I watched as in a final act of L,L,H & R, he placed one last red rose on her body.  At the same time that I was touched to my core to witness this, I was infuriated by the lack of respect of others, for others!  How can some people be so amazing and some people be so disgusting?

You guys know well and good that I have been away in Sturgis and I have only just returned.  The first time that I was invited to come to be part of the Spoke Family, Jay Allen told me that this was our home and we were to make each and every guest who walked through the door feel welcome and make them feel as if they were part of our family.  "Jack, I want these people treated with total RESPECT", that is what Jay asked me to do and that is what the Broken Spoke Saloon is based on, what it was built on, RESPECT!  These were my marching orders and believe me when I tell you, they were the easiest instructions that I have ever been given, I RESPECT everyone until the time comes that they have lost my RESPECT!

For so many, the Broken Spoke Saloon Campground is a sacred place.  The walls are adorned by the great ones who have come and gone before us.  On one wall above the stage, Indian Larry will forever watch down upon all who enter the Spoke, on another, the one and only Johnny Chop, a person that in my entire time around this life we have chosen to live, I've never heard one single person speak one bad word about the man!  On a third wall, the incredible Samantha Morgan is honored and this past rally on another wall we added the one and only Million Miles Squire.  The Spoke's walls are covered in greatness, they are covered with people for whom we could only wish to aspire to be like!  Also on these walls are personal belongings from Jay Allen.  Items that he chose to take from his personal collection of memories and share them with his extended family at the Spoke.  None of these items have ever been stolen and none have ever been defaced because everyone who enters the sacred walls of the Broken Spoke have enough RESPECT for this man, for his property and for his dream!  On the first morning after my arrival this year at the Spoke I entered the main building.  I had never before spent any time there and had never had the privilege of being able to walk every square inch of the place.  With each moment that I spent there, I became more humbled by the energy of those who have passed through the doors before me.  I looked at those huge prints of the names I mentioned earlier and I was moved! 

Over the years, for a great many years, Jay has been a huge part of our culture whether you knew it or not.  His generosity is overwhelming and while there this past two weeks I learned of more and more that he has done to help others.  This is a man who deserves to be treated with respect and his property deserves to be treated equally with the very same respect!  After some time touring the building, getting the lay of the land and trying to figure out how I was going to pull off the mammoth undertaking that I had gotten myself in to by hosting such a hallowed place, I needed to use the bathroom.  I walked in, stood at the urinal and took one hellified piss.  As I turned around, pulled up my zipper and looked up at the wall, my FUCKING HEART SANK!  For one of the very first times in my life, I was truly speechless.  I could not believe my eyes!

On the wall hung an original Discovery Channel Biker Build Off banner!  Now I don't care if you loved those shows or if you hated those shows, they have become a huge part of our recent history and showcased some of the finest people who have ever turned a wrench on bikes.  Now I'm not sure if this banner was from Larry or Johnny, but I know that it was special and it was hung on that wall for all to enjoy and share in.  It was there for all to know that Jay and the Spoke were also part of that history and it was taken from a personal collection and shared with our extended family to enjoy and because they were our extended family, it was there for them to take pride in as well!  Since the day that it had been hung there, it had been unmolested, untouched and unscathed because people understand RESPECT!  Well, some people understand RESPECT!  Why did your heart sink Jack?  Because when I turned around, this is what I saw.

Understand that this photo was taken at the end of the rally this year.  The large I AM DON WOOD was the only thing written on this banner when I arrived on the property.  As the week progressed, seeing that the banner had been written on, for the first time in years, other people added their names to it.  But on day one of the 71st annual Sturgis Rally, this banner had but one name, one thing written with TOTAL AND COMPLETE LACK OF RESPECT for our history, for others property and for the people who gave up everything to follow the life we lead and to follow the dream of what they love!  For me this is inexcusable, unforgivable and just shows the world the kind of person he is!  In the last year I have witnessed a total lack of respect for others.  For other people, for other people's old ladies for anyone in general who he did not think that he could get something out of that would move him up or to help him reach the "FAME" that he so desperately seeks.  Well you have done it Don, you are known now for exactly who and what you are.  For being someone who has a total lack of respect, a total disregard for anyone and everything around him.  You have no idea the world that you have snaked and deceived your way in to.  This Sturgis Rally, you have shown everyone just who you are, what you are capable of and proven to all that you have ABSOLUTELY NO FUCKING IDEA of the codes that we live by..... let me remind you again, L, L, H & R! 

While at the Broken Spoke, with no warning at all, Don walked back stage, then on to the stage, pulled the microphone mid song from the lead singers hand of the HEAD LINE BAND and stopped them dead in their tracks because he felt the need to make an announcement.  We have one strict policy at the Spoke, we don't stop the band, EVER!  Everything, EVERY DETAIL OF EVERY DAY is timed to the minute.  These guys were being paid a lot of money to play and entertain the guests of the Spoke and they were prevented from doing that.  The crowd was angry, the band was angry, the bosses were angry and I AM FUCKIN ANGRY!  This egomaniac was so afraid that he may lose a moment of camera time or not be able to stand on stage in front of a crowd and shout I AM DON WOOD, which is exactly what he shouted first!  The only smile that I was able to muster up was because the moment he shouted it in to the mic, someone from the crowd shouted, WHO GIVES A FUCK!  I share the very same feeling now!  You may be saying now, "but Jack man, you were running the show at the Spoke, how did you let this get past you in the first place"?  Funny, it was the same question my boss asked me.  I was tricked out of the building by being told that there was a big surprise birthday party for me up at the pool and all my friends in the world were up there waiting for me.  I had to go up there immediately if not sooner!  Oddly enough, as I walked past friend after friend on the way to the pool to quite literally find no one up there but two drunks, I was not surprised, I only assumed it was a practical joke.  On the way back I asked one of my friends and they said oh no man, Don told us 20 minutes ago that we were to be inside the main building, we were wondering why you were going up to the pool!  When I arrived back to the building is pretty much when Don pulled this scam to get up on stage.  He used the guise of Aidan has a Posse to do this.  He put on this bullshit, fake, caring, humble voice and whispered in to the mic, not one person there had a single idea of what he was saying and were shouting for him to speak up, but why would he listen, he knows it all right?  I believe the total raised by pulling this bullshit was a bit over $100.  In 15 minutes, I raised nearly 800 bucks for a titty contest and this guy could not raise shit for a deathly ill child!  So he tricked me, broke the number one rule at the Spoke and cheated a family out of desperately needed funds, NICELY DONE DON!  Your ego is writing checks that you can't cash man!  All you had to do is notify me or any other person at the Spoke of what your plan was and we would have made it happen, at the right time, in front of the right people and raised a shit ton of money, but I guess someone else may have gotten the attention rather than you.  That's what this was about right?  Drawing attention to yourself?  Well you got that attention now man!


This is but just a brief tale of the events that took place this year and believe me when I tell you and you know you can because I always tell the truth, there is so much more!  The bike community is done with you Don.  You have burned all your bridges faster than anything that I have ever seen and I have been around a long time now!  EVERYONE IS DONE WITH YOU!  Some have their 15 minutes of fame, you man, now have your 15 minutes of SHAME!  Look inside yourself man, become a better person or your life will suck forever!


I have never before in my life called someone out like this and the decision to do it did not come easy and I didn't take it lightly.  Like I said earlier, I have been sick over this for months about what to do, or say or to just leave it be, but this was the final straw, I could not just let this go any longer!  It was your actions that drove me to this. 


If there are any of you who disagree with what I have done than tell me so.  In return, I will share with you some of the other amazing and appalling things that have recently taken place.  I will no longer hold back, those days are now long gone.  I've tried my damndest to just let each and every incident go but what you did this week at the Broken Spoke is unforgivable on a great many levels! You should no longer be welcome on any Broken Spoke Property, anywhere!  Congratulations!

For all of the rest of you amazing people that share in our lives, I am sorry for even posting something like this but my head was about to explode and it had to be said.   Until we see each other on the road again,


Keep the wind in your face,
Tits in your back
and The Man off your ass!


Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart and with absolute brutal honesty, I AM YOUR FRIEND,
Jack Shit

NO BIGGER COMPLIMENT!

As you fine folks have probably figured out by now, I am a pretty humble guy!  I live my life by four simple letters; L,L,H&R!  LOVE, LOYALTY, HONOR AND RESPECT and to me, there is no other way to live it!  If you follow these four letters, to the letter, you will get the very same back.  Of course there is always the Classless Buffoon who feels that these letters mean nothing at all and that they are a "slogan" of sorts and don't apply to them.  They will soon find out that they apply TO ALL OF US!  You get back exactly what you put out in to this world we live in.  Sometimes it comes back on you in an instant and other times it takes a bit longer.  In some cases it takes nearly a year to the day, but I digress, that is a different story for another time.  I will say however, that when I get to see a person who puts themselves above all others have shit come crashing down on top of them, I do get an evil little smile across my lips and it reaffirms my faith in humanity and in the universe!

In this case though, what I am speaking of put a joyous smile on my face!  I believe that the universe puts people in our paths for a reason and what we decide to do in that moment forever changes the course of our lives.  Some of these choices bring us much joy and some of them bring us much heartache, but nobody gets them right all the time, so I say go ahead and make those choices because normally the good outweighs the bad.  I walk in the main bar at the Broken Spoke Campground and I immediately begin to see so many familiar faces and my heart warms a bit.  These are all people that I had the great honor to work with last year or to meet on the road at other events, good people!  Each of them walk across the floor to shake my hand or hug me and tell me how great it is to see me again and I am touched to the core.  Here I am thinking that this can't get any better, I am bubbling over with good vibes!  I hear my name called and I turn around and I get a smile from ear to ear!  What greater honor can there be than when the band that has shown up to perform, have shown up wearing I KNOW JACK SHIT t shirts?  If you want to speak of an experience that humbles you, this was one of them!  I don't believe a bigger compliment could have been paid to me!

Ryan Rolando who looks like he is 19 years old, has been playing at the Broken Spoke and has been part of the family for over 20 years now.  I can only assume that he began playing the guitar at the Spoke when he was one or two years old!  This guy is the epitome of class!  I knew in that very moment that my time at the Spoke was going to be amazing.  I believe that the universe sends you signs or signals and it is up to us to recognize them and use the information accordingly.  In this case, in this very moment, all my nerves calmed down, all the pressure lifted up off of my shoulders and I knew that I was not alone in my mission to make this, the 71st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally a success for my Spoke family!  Each and every single one of us was a team and we all worked towards our team being victorious.  This my friends is one first class operation that is manned by first class people who all put the Spoke ahead of themselves and any petty bullshit that comes with working with so many people from different backgrounds falls to the wayside and everyone knuckles up, it is an incredible sight to see!

For all of those that welcomed me back to the Broken Spoke I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.  It was an honor and a privilege for me to work side by side with you and I look forward to doing it again, perhaps more than I look forward to any gig!

Jay Allen, you had the faith in me to watch over your baby while you worked your ass off down town at the Original Broken Spoke Saloon and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that you afforded me!  You sir are nothing but class and I applaud you for it!   As I type this, you are hopefully breaking yet another land speed record up on the Salt of Bonneville and I wish you nothing but greatness!  Until we all see each other again at the Spoke, I wish you all nothing but the same feeling of joy and happiness that I got to experience these past few weeks.

Until we see each other on the road,

Keep the wind in your face,
Tits in your back
and The Man off your ass!

Your friend,
Jack Shit

There are times that you never forget, this is one of them!

The 71st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is now over and I am home safe and sound from a 3 thousand mile bike ride! As with any thing in life that you put your entire heart and soul in, there will certainly be ups and downs. From the moment that I arrived at the World Famous Broken Spoke Saloon, it was non stop and at a break neck pace. The shortest day that I worked was 16 hours and that was day one, from there I became more committed and put in on average, 18 hours per day. We go to Sturgis, our holy land to experience the brotherhood, the fun and most importantly the bikes because after all, that is what this entire lifestyle we chose is about, THE BIKES. All the rest of it is just a bonus. We get to spend time with the people we love and would do just about anything for and for some of us, Sturgis is the only time we get to see each other. This was my first year hosting at the County Line Campground and it was the honor of my life to be welcomed back as part of the Broken Spoke family! Many of you have heard me say this but it bears repeating. The very first time that I met with the one and only Jay Allen about working for the Spoke I asked him what he expected of me, what did he want me to accomplish while there. I was fully ready for an hour long meeting and I had my sharpie and blank paper ready to take notes. What Jay said to me I will never forget, he said "Jack, I'm glad you asked". "I want you to welcome everyone in to our home and treat them like family". That was it, those were my entire list of instructions! This man is one class act!

The entire Spoke family is one class act. I know that I have not written much since I left for Sturgis and maybe now you understand why. One of the things that blew me away most was how they handled some very special guests. The Rolling Wall, the Vietnam Memorial, rolling wall has found its home at the Broken Spoke Campground and we were honored to have them. They will return next year and the Spoke will once again be honored to host this amazing tribute to the more than 50 thousand men who gave all in defense of freedom! When the opening ceremony of the wall begins, everything stops, EVERYTHING! The music stops, the party stops, the drinks stop and you can't so much as purchase a t shirt if you wanted to. ALL BUSINESS STOPS! I had the incredible honor and privilege to be part of this ceremony this year and it is something that I will never forget as long as I live! Being a biker, we all know a great many who survived Vietnam and returned home like so many from world war 2 and found the motorcycle and longed for freedom and peace and they found that through brotherhood and the open road! I didn't lose anyone in that war, shit, I wasn't even born until 68' but it made no difference, it touched me like I couldn't even understand. The dedication that these guys have for this memorial is second to none! On a side note, I want to mention another group of bikers that deserve credit and normally don't get it. THE WALL OF DEATH! Because of some insane weather this year it caused great delay in getting their own wall set up. They were far behind in its construction and until it is up and open, they are losing money. Every second that they are at an event and not performing, they are losing money. The time came for the opening of the wall and for the wall itself to be constructed and each and every member of the Wall of Death stopped what they were doing and went down and built the Memorial Wall! Because of the time that they spent, they were not able to even open up for business until the next day. THESE GUYS ARE NOTHING BUT CLASS AND TRUE PATRIOTS! The next time you see them, shake their hands and let them know that you appreciate the hardest working guys in the bike world!

Here is a short video that I managed to capture during the opening ceremony. The sound is not the best and the camera work may be shaky but I think you will see how powerful it was. When it came time for me to speak, I was terrified that everyone there would know that I had tears in my eyes and hear it in my voice! The Spoke was built on RESPECT and everyone involved with the Wall or who has ever given up everything to fight for this country deserves nothing less! GOD BLESS THE AMERICAN SOLDIER!




Until we see each other on the road, or at the Broken Spoke Saloon,

Keep the wind in your face,
Tits in your back
and The Man off your ass!

Your friend,
Jack Shit

Nearly Home Now

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has come to a close now and as I make my 1500 mile ride home it has given me time to think and reflect on the last two weeks.  I had said that in my free time while I was there that I would post some blogs.  As you can see by how many posts I made, there was not much in the way of free time!  I posted zero!  It was an amazing time to say the least and informative as well.  I was able to ascertain that there are some people that I thought were friends who turn out to not really be at all and those that I thought were perhaps no more than an acquaintance turned out to be so much more.  I guess when you get your nuts put on the hot frying pan, you see who has the no stick spray and the spatula!  I will tell you guys all about the event, the people and the madness the very first chance that I get.  If all goes well with the bike and the weather, I should be rolling in to my driveway by 8pm tomorrow night the latest!

For all of you who came to visit me, thank you!  I will never forget the 71st annual Sturgis Rally and in large part, because of all of you!

Till we see each other again,

Keep the wind in your face,
Tits in your back
and the Man off your ass!

Your friend,
Jack Shit