Most times, before we ever arrive at a rally, the WALL OF DEATH crew is already on property. Often rolling in during the middle of the night! As we complain about having to set up our tent or blow up our air mattress, the guys have the daunting undertaking of building THE WALL! I only watched part of this process but by no means was it any less than back breaking! They are the first to come and the very last to leave! I had never really gotten to know any of the Wall crew prior to hosting this year at the Broken Spoke Campground and now wish I had taken the time earlier! NOTHING BUT CLASS! While on my ride to the Spoke, I had stopped to get gas about 40 miles or so outside of Deadwood and I was beat. It would be a 687 mile day for us. I turned on my phone as I had it off to conserve the battery and I had some messages. One of those messages was from George The Painter and he had a real tone of concern in his voice. "Hey man, where you at, we are having some insane weather here", "hope you are okay"! Yes, GTP does have a heart! 50 weight pumps through it, but all in all, it is a heart. Well that weather put the guys from the Wall well behind in their construction. If that wall is not operational, they don't make a dime, if they don't make a dime, how do they even make it to the next event? THEY DON'T! The following day, they were still building the wall when it was announced that the Rolling Vietnam Memorial was on property, the opening ceremony would take place shortly but they needed volunteers to help construct it. The guys from the wall stopped what they were doing instantly! Now remember, no Wall, no money! Each and every one of them went down the hill, behind the general store and went to work building the memorial wall. I had nothing but mad respect for these guys before this, now, forget it, I can't put in to words the RESPECT, yes, there is that word again, that I have for these guys. They put their work down, they put their income at risk and they went to help! Fuck that's cool as shit!
There is no insurance company on earth that will insure a Wall of Death rider and that sucks big time. You guys know what the cost is when you go to the emergency room because you twisted your ankle, now imagine riding 50mph on a 16' high, 30' round wall of a cylinder and having something catastrophic happen! I would bet the ranch you don't want that bill! So they have a fund that they keep for when someone gets hurt. Yes, they take care of their own, they are a family, the way this shit is supposed to be! We watch these guys jump dirt bikes and we see the X games on tv, but this is the shit folks, this was America's first extreme sport and they are keeping it alive and well..... okay, maybe not well, but sure as hell alive! Not well you ask? Nope! These are hands down some of the craziest bastards that I have ever had the pleasure to call my friends! The word Death isn't in the name for no reason ya know! On a side note, NEVER, EVER, go flat track racing, drunk, at 4am with anyone who has DEATH in their name! It just doesn't work out in your favor. One of the highlights of the rally and yes, I have a list of them, was following Mikey in his two wheel drive sidehack and the Jeremiah Weed nuts in their dune buggy on steroids and Jeremiah Lightning on his insane sporty off to HELP FLATTEN the overgrown flat track. Mikey said "Jack, it's in bad shape", asshole me says, "well we should go see, right now"! MISTAKE NUMBER ONE FOR STURGIS 2011 on my part! Did you know that inside the oval of the flat track at the Broken Spoke County Line, there is a motocross track? No? Well neither did I! But guess what? IN FOURTH GEAR, WHILE CHASING THESE MANIACS, I FOUND IT! I can also say that I now know for sure that the FXR is the most amazing modern bike Harley ever put out and did you know that they can fly too? Yeah, I do now too! Your friend Jack Shit nearly had Death is his title too! One huge jump, one brutal landing and what I swore were two broken thumbs, I had to heed Jeremiah's warning of "this is really stupid man, really fuckin stupid" and ride back to the lot!
As the week went on I did all I could to make sure that people got to take in at least one wall show and each person that I sent over came right back to me and said "that's the baddest thing I've ever seen"! They too were absolutely correct! My schedule was so hectic there that I barely had a moment to get my head straight and I had given the FXR a serious smack down on the flat track. Well on the part of it that I managed to find anyway. The bike was barely running, I blew a fork seal and to make matters worse, the carb was pissing gas out of it! I had really done a job on her. With 15 minute breaks between band sets, it is really hard to put your bike back together and with the property being so massive, it took me half that long to walk from one place to another (up until flat track night I had ridden to all these places). Handsome Charlie Ransom repeatedly told me, "Jack, get that fucking thing over here and let me get a look at it" so I did, then 30 minutes later, I would fire her up and take off, sputtering and spitting my way up the hill! Eventually, I made it back to the Wall, pulled off the carb and had to run back to work. Upon my return, I found the entire bike put back together, filled with gas and ready to go. What an amazing gesture of friendship! I have got to tell you that being around these guys was amazing. They truly made my Sturgis Rally 2011.
I can't think of a single night that once the work was done at the Wall, that I did not turn around to be handed a drink or given a hug or to hear my name being screamed at the top of one or more of these maniacs lungs! They supported me like nothing I have ever seen and I will never forget it! I was sure as hell not the only one who woke up in the morning more than once with no voice! I will never forget these guys! It more or less became a running joke, I would scream "WALL OF DEATH IN THE HOUSE" and they would scream "JACK SHIT". Incredible memories!
Hands down, one of the highlights of not only the Sturgis Rally at the Broken Spoke but no bullshit, of my life, was when Wahl E. Walker, man I love that name, invited me in to see the show from inside the Wall! If you have seen the show from the top, you know how amazing it is. This pales in comparison to being able to see the show from inside. I know most everyone will never get to experience this and that is truly too bad because it is mind blowing. These guys are men of honor, respect and loyalty! They have been at the Spoke for years now on nothing more than a hand shake deal and if you can't RESPECT that, what can you RESPECT? People who mean what they say and say what they mean, hell, it's virtually unheard of anymore! This is one cohesive unit, one family and it shows! Hell, on the final night of the rally, after the food vendors had packed up their tents and trucks these guys even fed me dinner! Tell me where can you get Spaghetti at a bike rally? AT THE FUCKING WALL OF DEATH THAT'S WHERE!
On the last night of the rally, we were all hanging up on the VIP balcony next to the stage and J. Lightning was killing me with limericks and "poetry" so to speak. I mean here is this guy who has seen it all, who barely spoke and then in a fury, spit out some of the fastest and funniest shit that I have ever heard in my life! There are days that I can't remember my phone number and here he is remembering 75 lines from something that he learned as a young guy, incredible! The entire time there, a documentary was being filmed on the Wall crew and I can't wait to see it, these guys deserve all the good that come their way!
I bet you guys thought that I would forget the FOX IN THE BOX. Hell no! What a sweetheart and hard worker as well. "Don't forget the garlic bread" she said and my night was made!
So next time you see these guys at a fair or a bike rally, dig deep in that pocket, hold your money over the top rail and let them come snatch right out of your hot little hand! This Sturgis Rally at the World Famous Broken Spoke Saloon would have never been the same without the crew from the Wall of Death. As a friend said to me 2 nights ago, "I applaud and RESPECT YOU"!
WALL OF DEATH IN THE HOUSE!
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
