Sunday, June 12, 2016

Then there is me and Hazzard County

Then of course there's me and Hazzard County. Now to many the Dukes-of-Hazzard was just a great hit TV show. Always focusing on the General Lee, and them Duke boys. For others it became an obsession . I am one of those. For many their view of Hazzard County looks like this 
 or maybe this 
 then of course there's the real Hazzard, and Hazzard County, 
 this is the main street of the real Hazzard. And yes it's in Idaho not Georgia. 
From the first hour when Bro and I kicked back at our home near Hazzard Idaho, and watched the first frame, of that series I was captivated. Here was a show that depicted just what was Bro and I, whose only crime to America was having a lead foot. In search of a pair of white Go-Go boots for a car show display of another ride of ours, and discovered OUR General Lee, it has been a love affair with a lifestyle that few live. From then to the twice a month run to Burbank California delivering raw pieces for making the rides most saw on the Dukes, to that hour I spent at a ice cream place in Utah the year we entered our General, in the Utah AutoRama, every waking moment, of my life and many hours of my sleep time is of or involves Hazzard County somewhere. It was though on the 2nd night that Bro and I were at the 1981 Salt Lake City AutoRama, staying in the Shiloh Inn, that I thought, the General is great and all, but neither Bro or I looked like Bo & Luke, but I sure as hell bore a striking lookalike to Cooter. 
 Then the fact that on TV Cooter drove a tow truck, in real life I drive a tow truck, on TV Cooter fixed cars, in real life I fix cars and trucks and so on, so I thought hmmm, maybe build up the hottest tow truck of that era, and show it as Cooter's Hooker , Toew Truck. Moreover rebadge the shop as the original real life version of the Hazzard County Garage, and the rest of that is history. Then the shop, got behind the idea of a rural gearheads club, called the Hazzard County Knytes(knights) which is now split between three organizations, The Hazzard Knytes, Knyte's of Anarchy, and of course the Knytes-of-Dixie. With now 50,000 members and growing everyday, what's not to love? The Dukes opened many doors, for many people, for me the show opened my eyes of my own Confederate ancestors, and my families place in that. Likewise the Dukes for many opened the world of NASCAR, to many that had no real interest in NASCAR, for me then it was 1/4 mile hot foot down drag racing. In closing; Hazzard County is not just a place on earth, or just a TV show. Hazzard County, is a place in the heart, and soul, and a way of life more than just that TV show.
TTYLY