Members In The Movies

[bogwon]

AMCA MEMBERS IN FILM

IF ANYONE OUT THERE REMEMBERS THE DOCUMENTARY ON PBS ENTITLED "ON THE ROAD TO STURGIS" OR SOME SUCH, WITH AL ROKER AS HOST/COMMENTATOR, YOU CAN SEE BOTH MY GOOD FRIENDS AND RIDING PARTNERS FROM THE EVERGREEEN CHAPTER IN SEATTLE,INDIAN JEFF McGEARY AND TOM SAMUELSEN RIDING THEIR CHIEFS TO STURGIS AND BACK. I'M ALSO IN THE MOVIE IN THE CAMPFIRE SCENE AT OUR CAMP AT EAGLE'S LANDING IN STURGIS. I'M THE ONE PLAYING THE GUITAR AND SINGING ONE OF MY ORIGINAL SONGS. THE DOCUMENTARY ORIGINALLY AIRED ON PBS ON FEBRUARY 17, 1997. PETER FONDA IS ALSO IN IT AND DOES A LOT OF THE NARRATING AND IS INTERVIEWED, ETC., SO I AM ABLE TO SAY I WAS IN A FILM WITH CAPTAIN AMERICA HIMSELF. TOM, MYSELF AND INDIAN JEFF AND A FEW OTHERS OF OUR CREW EVEN GOT TO GO TO FONDA'S RANCH IN LIVINGSTON, MONTANA AND HANG OUT LONG BEFORE IT BECAME THE FASHIONABLE THING TO DO. YOU CAN SEE SOME INFO ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY IF YOU GO TO PBS' WEBSITE AND TYPE IN AL ROKER OR STURGIS. I HAVE THE TAPE OF IT AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE. IT WAS AN HOUR-LONG DOCUMENTARY AND HAD SOME NEAT FOOTAGE AND QUOTES IN IT ALONG WITH AMCA MEMBER TOM SAMUELSEN'S 1940 INDIAN HILLCLIMBER( LYDIAN ASCENZI'S OLD MACHINE) IN THE HILLCLIMB. CHECK IT OUT, BOGWON

[Pete Gagan]

According to Bud Ekins, its interesting that Von Dutch has clothing named after him, as he was a slob. Bud says he nearly always wore filthy bib overalls with no underwear, and you could see all he owned most of the time.
Pete

[AdminGuy]

How is Jeff McGeary doing these days? I'd like PBS to run that again. Maybe gearing up before sturgis?

[bogwon]

Pete,
As you probably know, Jeff took a bad tumble back in 97, I believe, on the way back from Montana. Hit a bull and laid in a cold ditch in october. Wound up losing all his fingers and toes from frostbite and broke his back. Thought we were gonna lose him for a while there. He has somewhat recovered and the last I talked to him he was actually putting some weight back on and actually got out out of the house and went out with some of the Virginia City boys in Montana. He is living in Montana now. I beleive it is in Laramie. I had the privilege of being the first Indian rider to accompany Jeff all the way to Sturgis from Seattle back in 92, I believe, and we made the trip several times after that on the old Chiefs. Best roadside mechanic I ever had the pleasure of riding with and a tireless wit, also. I remember most fondly an evening we spent camping at the bottom of Lolo Pass with Jeff expounding on his "time traveler" theories and how riding the old iron was the same as going back in time to a simpler day. Sure miss the ol boy and can't wait to get out to Montana and see him again. Jeff knew all the best of them, from Sammy Pierce to the Indian Wrecking Crew and I got to meet quite a few notorious folks by being with him. Oh, the folly of youth! I will tell Jeff that you asked about him. It's about time that I gave him a call, anyway. Bogwon

[E"B"C]

Dutch

"Dutch"
As I remember "Dutch"- Seems he was (is) a shorter fellow and very nice to visit with. Always was wearing a small pair of "vise grip" pliers snapped around a belt loop of his jeans. A very good trick that I copied. Also had a piece of "baling" wire hooked on a belt loop , which was used for cleaning out gas lines. It seems like he had to clean every gas line on every Ekins motorcycle. I think Dutch spelled his name "Von Duetsch ", or similar, and at that time he claimed that he lived in an old school bus ! A good friend. I have not seem him or been in contact since the filming days, about 1977 or thereabouts.

[AdminGuy]

Ahhh!!!...Fantastic! Welcome aboard Bud!

Sadly, Dutch passed away in 92. They broke the mold.
http://www.bikernet.com/news/specials/vondutch.asp

On the up side - I think we are starting to see a renesance of pin stripeing. He influenced alot of people. Gagan has that Scott Squirrel that if you look real close all the decals are hand painted by Dutch. It's really something to see.

What was one of the funniest things that you saw happen behind the scenes on the Moon Beam Rider movie? Make it a goodun.

Hrdly do you have any questions for Bud about the movie? Anyone else?

[E"B"C]

More about "Fast Charlie" ; Among our instructions before the filming started was this: "During the race scenes, DO NOT PASS Mr. CARRIDINE, remember - He IS the Star !" Jerrys Son Scott is a very good rider, and quite competitive. In the first "race", after we made it thru the first turn, Scott had a clear shot at Mr. Carridine. Ignoring all instructions, Scott blasted by Mr. Carridine and almost blew him off the track. Really dusted him up good. Of course they restarted the race, trouble was it took about an hour to get everyone lined up with engines running. While racing, as a rule they would fasten the front fork of the Stars machine to a fancy trailer hitch, and pull the machine behind a truck that held the cameras. As they did, a helper would throw dust in Mr. Carridine face. Quite a show. E"B"C

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Hello Bud! What did you think of David Carradine as a motorcycle rider? The shots requiring Carradine to be attached to the trailer aside, He does appear to be giving a good show of himself in a lot of the movie riding scenes. Did he ever really get the bike up and moving at a fast pace?.... ..Later...Hrdly-Dangrs

[E"B"C]

Members in the Movies

Hardly- Dangers; Thanks for your query about riding ability. As for any movie - What you see is what they want you to see. Don't believe anything. Seems that I was always in the dirt and could not see much of anything. The speeds were not as fast as it seems, plus - there were several very good stunt riders that seen a lot of action. I think all of the big thrills, spills, and jumps were done by the stunt people. Thanks. E"B"C