The weather forecast for the 1998 Labor Day Weekend was for hot and dry conditions and they were right! Carmela and I planned to pullout as soon as she got off of work on Thursday, about 6:00PM. We were ready to go having gone shopping the day before for what we would need. I had spent the last five days at the machine shop near Lansing, MI. preparing the twin engine Harley for the trip through the Wall of Fire, making sure there weren't any high octane fuel leaks and removing the trike section and installing the swing arm to make it a two wheeler again. I also installed the wide glide front-end, a much more heavy duty thing to have up front than the dirt bike front-end I used for the pulls and drag racing. The guys at Hunts Performance Cycle had come through like clock work with all the little odds and ends I needed to complete the job.

Dillon Racing in Walkerton, IN, had given Carmela a real good deal on the fire suit that the local chapter of the Devils Disciples Motor Cycle Club had offered to pay for when they heard that I was going to attempt to ride through a Wall of Fire. Lets face it, I couldn't think of a better sponsor for such a trip. Danny Lewis, another good friend from the Jackson, MI area supplied the full face Bell helmet complete with blue and silver flames.

We arrived at the Ross County Fairgrounds in beautiful Chillicothe, Ohio, about 2:00 am Friday morning. Pango met us at the gate. Not only had he been on the security detail for the past bunch of years there, he also owns and operates Ironhorse Custom Cycle out of Barton, Ohio. It was so good to see the man who over at the Illinois rodeo agreed to match what ever money Easyriders' was willing to pay for the stunt. Thank you again Pango, we sure needed it. By the way, he also sponsors Robert Tabor. Yeah you got it, the current Top Cowboy at the rodeo and Bob has been for the last couple of years. He finished in first place again this year. Oh Lay!

The Wall of Fire show is usually part of a thrill show that includes a jet car that burns up cars and a jap bike demolition derby and other junk car stunts along with this guy who blows himself up. I guess I was suppose to be there Thursday night to do it in that show. The problem was I didn't know it cause the Rodeo is on Saturday and Sunday. Anyway at Friday night's thrill show we were ready to go. The stands were over-flowing with thousands of screaming fans, finely it was my turn. I rode by the cheering crowd and waved. They were on their feet. Carmela was ready with the video camera as I lined up to make the run. Scott Ruric who has done this stunt for eleven years and had coached me in what and how to do it, was ready with the pyrotechnics. The blast that bomb gives is a thrill and adds another, higher level to the show. He flipped the switch and the wall started to burn. I lit the sparkler thing on my bike and put it in gear. Revving the motors, I started to let out the clutch and then the motors died. Unbelievable!

Needless to say the crowd moaned and started to heckle. The rodeo crew, standing-by, ran to my assistance. They tried to push start it but it just made a weird clunking noise when I popped the clutch. Carmela ran for the remote starter setup back in the pits. She had inadvertently left the video camera on and the play back recorded the frantic effort she displayed in her attempt to come to my aid. Rodeo Ray met her half-way and carried the heavy thing the rest of the way. But, at last, it was to no avail. When we hooked it up and hit the starter it made the same clunking noise. It seems the clutch hub had come loose on my transmission and that took only a few minutes to fix later that night.

As the full moon shone down on largest crowd ever to attend an Easyriders' Rodeo, as the Wall of Fire raged in consuming flames, as I in my brand new fire suit, with matching helmet sat on my beautiful twin engine Harley that wouldn't start, soaking in my own sweat, something cracked in my head.

I jumped off the unwilling machine and ran toward the flames. I could hear Kevin Ruic, the announcer cry for me to stop. I ran through the Wall of Fire! The crowd roared their approval. A moment later the bomb went off. I had forgotten the explosives were still set in the wall.

Leon Hatcher, The Father of The Motor Cycle Rodeo and President of Teresi INC., and one of the hardest working men I have ever met, who even helped try to push start my machine that night, allowed me to try it again the next day during the actual rodeo qualifying trials. Thanks Leon! You is a good boss. This time it went with out a hitch. I was of course tickled pink. Let me say again, my hat is off to all the folks that helped me ride though the Wall of Fire. Thank you all again so much.

I still think that the twin engine Harley just refused to be in a junk, jap bike and car thrill show after being part of the greatest show on two wheels, that is, of course, The Easyriders' All American Motor Cycle Rodeo.