Writing on the WALL

Birth of a Wall-bike

2012-02-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

Just a few more pieces for this collection to be complete.
Anyone have a spare pedestal mount Scout frame lying around?

New Gas Blues...

2011-12-30T13:19:00.000-08:00

This is what they are passing off as fuel these days and charging us for it like it was gold. Just like the quality of everything now, no quality. This crud was "fuel" just a few weeks ago. I have found this crud before but never this much, the humidity here in Florida must accelerate the process.

Vonnie

2011-12-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

Just one of the vintage Indian motocycles working for a living at the Thill Arena.

Winter cave

2011-12-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

not enough room inside to set -up the building but it will work
and it is a lot warmer here than N.Cal.

on the Midway...

2011-08-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

Anchoring the Midway along side the Himalaya at the Maury County Fair Tennessee.
This was our very first experience on the carnival midway, a learning experience.
We are very proud to have been part of Dixieland Carnival Company's show in 2011.

Motor Maids visit

2011-07-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday we had the pleasure of meeting a group of Motor Maids on their visit to the Harley-Davidson Museum.

Idaho in July

2011-07-04T21:07:00.000-07:00

From the web...

2011-07-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

Sparky taking two wheels to the Wall

2011-06-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

Sparky J. Lightnin' taking to it like a duck to water.

Are we having fun yet???

2011-06-05T10:43:00.001-07:00

the ever-exciting roadside repairs...pad separated from backing,,,nothing like the sound of metal on metal when you're attempting to stop your gigantic trailer.

broked stem

collar and keepers still good but the tip was stuck between the spring and inside of cover.

Speedy's front exhaust valve gave up but not till the end of the weekend and luckily not during a show.

Aaahhh...nuts! When I started buying fuel for my first wheels, back in the early '70's, $5.00 would get you better than 10 gallons.

Jackson, MS

2011-05-06T19:12:00.003-07:00

Trouble at work

The Great Southern Motorcycle Expo, Jackson, MS

2011-05-06T19:12:00.002-07:00

The Boys in Blue catch the Wall of Death

Jackson, MS

2011-05-06T19:12:00.001-07:00

Brother Speed tellin stories

Brother Crim

2011-05-06T18:30:00.001-07:00

Florida

2011-05-06T18:11:00.001-07:00

Sunset in Stuart

Vacation

2011-05-06T18:10:00.001-07:00

Sparkimus Prime's birthday!

Spring on South Carolina's Grand Strand

2011-05-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

2011-04-28T06:52:00.001-07:00

Florida

YouTube - Fri early after.mov

2011-04-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Fri early after.mov

Oklahoma!

2011-03-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

This Weekend...

2011-03-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

Great Southern Motorcycle Expo
in Jackson, Mississippi Saturday & Sunday

March 26 &27 2011 Free Shows Hourly both days !!

Jay's 101

2011-03-03T20:56:00.000-08:00

Last year about this same time. Just needed to rotate the air in tires.

Racing Lightnin's

2011-03-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

Jay and Sparky Lightnin' performing the race for the first time together.

Willie's Tropical Tattoo Chopper Show 2005

2011-03-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

Indian Scout "Lily" Samantha's road bike. She was awarded the "Pre-old-school" plaque.

Wall Scouts and road Scouts

2011-03-02T00:26:00.000-08:00

Danny's bob-job, lily, speedy, la vonnie and jay's '29 101

Vintage Festival at Barber

2011-03-01T23:40:00.000-08:00

October 7,8 and 9, 2011 are the dates for this years Vintage Festival at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama. Leeds is minutes from Birmingham. This event has something for all motorcycle fans, from the swap meet to the auction to racing action happening all day long. The museum is open throughout the event also. We are set up in the fan zone along with the Antique bike show, Antique firetrucks and vendors of food and motorcycle accessories. Last year a beautiful winners circle made of black and white bricks and concrete walkway were built giving us a location that showcases the motor drome like no other.

The Vintage Festival at Barber brings together motorcycle fans from around the world.

Our view the back straight at Barber Motorsports Park is even better up on the building.

Thanks to all the guys from the Garage Company Customs!!

Nick, Chauncey, Flounder and JonDills making it look easy.

Thunder Run 7 starts our engine for 2011

2011-02-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

New Drum

2011-02-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

The sound is not great with the web cam but I love my new drum.

Daredevil Ladies

2011-02-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

We have had the pleasure of performing at the same venues as these ladies, they are Awesome!

UNPLUG!

2011-02-17T19:07:00.001-08:00

Alabama in October

2011-02-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

We will be performing once again at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama during the 7th Annual Vintage Festival.

2011 under way...

2011-01-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all that may be reading this. My camera is still out of commmision so no pictures of our present situation. The building is still in a pile on the floor with most of the repairs done. The road-buzz is starting to infect us once more....can't wait to get on the road again...is playing on loop in my head. Events are starting confirm and new ones are inquiring. Despite the economy we are going have a great season. We;ll see out there somewhere...Thanks for your support!

FXR-Truck

2010-12-25T18:02:00.000-08:00

Ran into Malibu-Barbie...literally. fan took out the rad, that's it strapped
to my two wheeled truck.

I love my shovelhead!

we have followers! YEAH!

2010-12-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

So I suppose I should post something. We are currently in dry-dock making repairs and shinning things for the 2011 season. The schedule is filling in. Wahl and I painted stuff blue today.

WALL Suppoter Matt Olsen

2010-08-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

Matt with his Cannonball entry a 1916 Sears

Matt with the Mayor of Fun...Bean're

Going Down...

2010-08-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

goin' down the hillclimb at Broken Spoke Campground.
Thanks to Colleen Swartz Digital Magic/ BigShots for sharing.

Lucky DareDevil Thrillshow

2010-08-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Bandit is always trying to get in the act, seen here waiting for his turn with air-rifle.

Chrome...

2010-08-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

This guy is a true chromaholic. My pictures do not do it justice.

the detail is incredible

shiny trunk to carry shining supplies

chrome fender trim

If Jay Lightnin' had a tractor this could be the one. It was part of a group from Iowa tractoring around the Black Hills. This was in Keystone and the next day I found them out by Mystic at the end of 12 miles of dirt road. I didn't have my camera in Mystic but I did get video of the group in Keystone, it's posted on the youtube site if you are interested.

To Grandmothers house we go...

2010-08-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

Sparky got this XR 1200 in March and it now has in excess of 11 thousand miles on the odometer. His mom is on her equally high mileage Dyna. This morning they rode off to Minnesota, an 800+ mile journey and Sparky is two-up. Should be a good story" mother and son ride together".

Last sunset at the Broken Spoke 2010

2010-08-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

sunset target practice

Our last night in South Dakota as a group doing what has become a tradition... plinkin' with BB's at sunset. We are the last to leave as usual. The water tanks up on the hill are drained and the propane tanks were taken away... no more hot showers,bummer.

Once again we have made it through the summer gathering of the tribes. Our base-camp and set-up spot for the last five years Broken Spoke Saloon & Campground on Hwy 79. This year the crew from Tattoo Mania joined us in camp and also inked a few of the crew in the Broken Spoke Tattoo Shop. We had campers from Washington state, New Hampshire, the Carolinas, Texas, W.Virginia and California and several points in between. It's a real treat to witness this each year and I already anticipate the next gathering.

Gotta love BB-guns for short range fun

A view of EK Days from Le Monde Primitif

2010-08-01T23:32:00.000-07:00

Desert Days, Mountain Nights

Welcome to the Wild West- as it exists today. It's Eval Days-- a 3 day festival in honor of Eval Knievel-- and the roar and soup of Harleys reverberate around town. Set in lovely Butte, Montana- the "Richest Hill on Earth"- an untamed, unpolished, un-groomed and unassuming city of surprising richness. Copper mining is the main industry, and the hills are fiery and orange, reflected by a mirror sky onto Limestone and Red brick buildings- some beautifully restored, and some in ruin.

It's the evening of my second day in Butte, the first day of the festival. There is a Wall of Death Spectacle, inside of a pull apart wooden structure, with steps that sigh underfoot. Spectators gather around the ring, looking into the cylinder- a small ramp connecting the floor to sheer walls. It's noisy and smells like exhaust. Everything creaks and moans, and the engines race and scream, around and around. The audience cheers, and bangs on the splintered wood wall-

I ask to have my picture taken with the drivers following the conclusion of the show-- An Australian Criss-Cross Race that causes the house to shift and sway, when the drivers are neck and neck, when the sun is setting over the mountains, and soon it will be cool outside at dusk.

The drivers don't wear helmets-- just t-shirts and jeans. The centrifugal force of the ring is equivalent to 4-G's, and the top of the ring is easily 30 feet from the base. Still, for the drivers, who participate in 18 events in the rally circuit (concluding at Sturgis in 10 days) and perform 7-14 times daily, the vocation like any other must become routine. I'm still astonished to find that these dare devils are just ordinary people.

In Uptown Butte, where the event is taking place, people stroll leisurely with open containers (welcome to the Wild West) in endless permutations- giant plastic cups that hold two bottles of beer, wizard sticks (read: empty beer cans taped together with duct tape), cups with tethers to be worn like necklaces, Daiquiris, Jungle Juice, Jello Shots-- Cocktailers working the strip in polo shirts. I see twelve-year-olds smoking cigarettes, and high school kids drinking tall cans. The fuzz are in abundance but seem unfazed. They're apparently enjoying the sights and sounds as much as the citizens. I see them jump into action the first time, when a disabled man- trying to molest women on the dance floor of this karaoke bar- The Party Palace (aka the Crack Palace) from his wheel chair. Unprovoked, he begins to flip off of the back of his wheelchair in the middle of the dance floor. We keep dancing.

There are events throughout the day, through Saturday, involving mechanical monstrosities of the highest order. I'm looking forward to this event, later on today.

"The larger and better known annual celebration is Knievel Days held each summer. This event draws over 50,000 bikers and daredevils from across the world. The highlight of the event is when all participants share a moment of silence for the whole Knievel clan traditionally observed at 4:20 pm on the second day of the event. The moment is broken by five daredevils simultaneously jump 19 trucks while fireworks explode and fifty foot flames of fire shoot up through the trucks while God Bless America plays." http://lemondeprimitif.posterous.com/?page=2

Megaphone - Wall of Death

2010-08-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

Megaphone - Wall of Death

Up To Speed

From the August, 2009 issue of Motorcyclist

By Tim Kessel

Photography by Courtesy Of American Motor Drome Co.

After five kicks, the 1929 Indian Scout rattles to life, prompted by the leg of a Mohawked man who looks to be about the same vintage. The Scout appears to be of questionable worthiness for a flat-ground jaunt, but is soon flying, side case to the sky, inside the American Motor Drome Company's "Wall of Death."

I have never witnessed a slice of life that more vividly embodies the motorcycle sideshow than that which I experienced outside the oval of the West Coast Flat Track Series races in Pomona, California, last fall. These men are the antithesis of the audience surrounding the "drome." Crammed around the rim of the creaking wooden cylinder are weekend warriors in crisp, new, fringed black-leather jackets and their women sporting similarly new bolt-on "accessories." Next to them are race-replica pilots in multi-hued, armored leathers with knee pucks that will likely never touch pavement. Unlike the audience, the characters standing at the bottom of the drome are the Real Deal. There is no pretense-these men have lived motorcycling.

The Mohawked man that began this show has skin akin to the leather of the old Scout's saddle, and hands stained with grease that seems as indelible as his lifestyle. The voice of the crew is a Mansonesque vision, with penetrating eyes, wild hair and a disarming smile. This barker is a character one would avoid on the street, but his charisma is a focusing agent for the spectacle. He rides the drome first on a finicky '70s Harley two-stroke (that requires two spark plug changes) and later a go-kart.

At the bottom of the drome is the quintessential, or maybe requisite, "boy off the farm." Younger than the other characters by several decades, he has the aura of a troubled youth who has escaped his hometown to join the circus. The boy's youth, mixed with the wafting aroma of pre-mix, takes me back to my motorcycling roots. This boy stands in stark contrast to the "main man" of this traveling daredevil sideshow, who must have been the boy's age in the '50s. He still sports the same greased-back blonde hair that I imagine he wore when chopping a Triumph twin while listening to Chubby Checker 50 years earlier.

The series of "death-defying" feats includes several explorations of centrifugal force that are, in fact, amazing. The show's stuntmen make solo runs that include no-hands passes, and runs inches from the drome's upper lip. They do well-synchronized tandem runs, and make the wooden drome wobble like an out-of-balance wheel. All of these tricks are performed on bikes that are far from modern and, let's say, creatively maintained.

The Wall of Death originated...

read full caption

At the end of this noisy, smelly, entertaining montage of classic characters and patched-together bikes comes an almost surreal denouement. The barker drives the go-kart near the top of the creaking wooden drome and snatches dollar bills from the hands of the surrounding spectators. I cannot help but think that the bills are being placed in the motorcycle sideshow's version of a g-string. Later, all of the men scurry to pick up money that rains from above like manna from heaven. My first emotion is pity. How could they bear the humiliation?

It's not until I'm walking away that my pity is replaced with envy. I live in a salaried world in which my pre-determined wage is direct-deposited into an account in a financial institution that is probably run by some guy who dresses in Harley leathers on weekends. There must be some visceral satisfaction in risking life and limb on an old Indian, and stuffing the resulting lucre directly into your faded jeans' pockets.

Visceral satisfaction? That's why we ride motorcycles-and why these guys truck the drome and an odd collection of machines from venue to venue across the country.

If she could speak...

2010-07-30T23:31:00.000-07:00

Mischief speak ?, we'd all be in trouble... but she could also build the drome, I'd bet. This is our sixth year performing at Butte, Montana's Evel Knievel Days. Mischief has watched this building go off and on the trailer for 10 years. Before that she was with the California Hellriders when Samantha rode with Don jr. and SandraD.

Lightnin' & Lightnin'

2010-07-07T19:53:00.000-07:00

True Evel

2010-06-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

Exciting race at Sun H-D

2010-06-27T20:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1529983210087&ref=mf

Party in the City Park

2010-06-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

This is the place to be in July, not just because it's charlies' birthday. Heroin and crew take over the city park in Soap Lake, Washington. Bringing in beer, food, music, live thrillshows, cool scoots and Free tent camping. This is a party the way parties used to be.

Fourth of July Celebration

2010-06-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

Join us on the Fourth of July at Latus Harely-Davidson in Gladstone, Oregon. Free shows Saturday, Sunday and Monday, July 3,4 & 5 2010.

Mother Nature Loves Iowa.........Not!

2010-06-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

This is our second year performing in Davenport, Iowa at the Sturgis Mississippi River Motorcycle Rally. It's also our second year during enduring some of mother natures devastating thunderstorms. Wednesday night rocked and Thursday had beautiful weather and a nice crowd all-day. We got in one show today but tomorrow will be sunshine and blue skys, if we're lucky.

Hot Rubber

2010-06-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

Sturgis is just around the corner. If you are looking for a place to camp check out the deal at Jay Allens' Broken Spoke Campground. The Motor Drome will be there. You may even catch Jay Allen and our own Sparky Lightnin' goin' head to head for the burn-out title.

The artful eye of Josh Kurpius

2010-05-31T22:32:00.000-07:00

First Rumble at the Harley-Davidson Museum

2010-05-31T18:59:00.000-07:00

Memorial weekend 2010 we performed in Milwaukee,WI. at The Harley-Davidson Museum

The Road to New Orleans

2010-04-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

We are on the road and back in the saddle again. Perfect spring weather all weekend for Leesburg Bikefest. Rosie Rocket caught up after missing the first show and Danny, Julie and FOG-Frank rode up from Largo. We hope to make this another annual event in our schedule. The crew had a great visit with Pam and Jack at their ranch in Summerfield. We can not thank them enough for the hospitality they showed us. They opened up their home, fed us and beat us at pool.
The engine is back in Vonnies' Scout and runs ...just not with the carb that was on it...peice of ? in it somewhere.
Next weekend New Orleans and the French Quarter after dark...See ya out there!

Get your Motor Runnin'

2010-03-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

Head out on the highway, lookin' for adventure....Oh Yeah! Finally riding season is upon us again, warm memories of sunshine and laughter are filling my head. We have an exciting schedule lined-up for this year with Oklahoma Citys' Thunder Run VI starting us off April 9-11. Then its down to Leesburg, Florida for Leesburg BikeFest. May starts-off in The French Quarter with the Broken Spoke Saloon at New Orleans BikeWeek. We will performing free of charge thanks to Jay Allen and the Broken Spoke Saloon. Next we head north to Milwaukee where we will be performing at the Harley-Davidson Museum... yes The Museum..to cool! June we are at the HogRock in Illinois and then up to Davenport, Iowa to hang with Big Swag at the SturgisMississippiRiverRally. July takes us west to Portland, OR. and 4th of July Festivities at Latus Harley-Davidson where we will be performing free to the public. Next we are at another free to the public event in Soap Lake, WA. at the lakeside city park, Run to the Sun 2010 with free camping, vendors, bands, beer-garden, outlaw mini-bike races and beautiful rides to Grand Coulee Dam. From there its Up-town Butte, Montana for the annual Evel Knievel Days daredevil spectacular. This is also a free event open to the public and we perform free every hour courtsey of the Knievel Days Commity. Sturgis bound after Butte and we hope to see you at the Broken Spoke Campground. You can see the rest of our schedule here. We love to hear from you, send us an e-mail or sign our guestbook...charlie,

Sgt J checkin in, will start posting Trouble n Sarge's antics soon. Looks good Charlie!

2010-01-12T13:05:00.001-08:00

AMDC coming to Leesburg Florida

2010-01-12T11:51:00.000-08:00

That's right! American Motor Drome Company is finally making back to Florida. April 23-25 at the Leesburg BikeFest. The motordrome will be set up on the corner of 5th and Magnolia right in the middle of the festivities. We will be performing shows on the hour every hour all weekend. We hope to see all of our Florida friends again...it's been too long.

She holds the key

2009-12-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

Stunt riding Wahl E.

2009-12-21T20:46:00.000-08:00

The energy at this years Cycle Source ride in Sturgis was too much for these two. I really wish that I had video of Kat getting up on Wahls' shoulders...now that was entertainment.

Working on everything

2009-12-21T20:38:00.000-08:00

New Stuff with our Logo

2009-11-24T11:59:00.000-08:00

We just got new drinking tools. If anyone is interested please email info@americanwallofdeath.com . As soon as I can make it happen all this stuff will be on the site. shot glasses are 7.00$ pints 10.00$ coffee mugs 12.00$.

Mayhem at the MotorDrome

2009-11-21T01:05:00.000-08:00

A minibike moment

First Post of the new blog

2009-10-31T17:10:00.000-07:00

I hope this will be a place where we can all contribute. The crew and co-horts of AMDC's WALL of DEATH show.
Everyone has dispersed to the winter position, where ever that may be. I am still in Texas. The love ride cancelled so I have postponed my return to the land of fruits and nuts. more later :)