HazzardAyre

Friday, January 11, 2013

More Ayre , less Hazzard

I have been caught between two affections and due to advice from a Doctor and a few others , I have been instructed to be making some serious changes in my life.

When I nearly had a partial stroke, this past week and needed a jump start, to stay alive after couching due to the flu, the Doctor told me, I have to either scale back or stop or retire some activities. One of course is toewing. A job that should be okay, but increasingly is becoming more a pain versus the money to be made.

Then there’s the club, that I pledged to serve until death, which includes this radio media gig. That I truly believe in, but wondering, is this even the place for it?

Could it be as simple as having one or two club members maintain the studio in Buhl, but I move and produce the shows from one of our stations say in Utah or even Arizona. The latter is getting very much an item on my HUD. Of course flying, I’m not ready to hang up, was doing that long before toewing, in fact in case somebody wondered , is why that landing pad was made right in front of the big house on the hill in Hazzard.

For my Hazzard friends and all, been thinking on getting in touch with Ben & Alma, see if they’d be interested in old LexiBelle, as a display truck for Cooter’s Place in Tennessee, if so, fix er up a bit and donate Lexi to them. Still thinking on that but thinking hard.

After that concentrating more on things, flying, AyreWolf(Airwolf) and the AyreWolvez, rather than things Knytes-of-Anarchy , and to retain some Hazzard connection, just run Hazzard County Choppers. Outside of that fly , not so much tow in the cold snow.

Its not so much money although that has something to do with it as, I can make more flying than toewing, but I have gave nearly 40 years to towing, have seen the best, trained with the best and by the best in the business. But I’m getting burned out.

The Doctor told me, that if I didn’t slow down, get somebody on board to do the majority of the leg and stress work, or start delegating tasks to, the next time I got a blank out like I did from coughing, it might be the final ejection. In other words shaking hands with the reaper.

I’m not ready to check out just yet.

So in short , hauling Lexi over next week, park her behind Rick’s place, and look to doing that in summer then make the decision to stop towing and send her to Cooter’s Place, or whatever then. In the meanwhile, doing more for the AyreWolvez, including doing more air seat time, and flying. In fact plan on hitting the city of LDS in May to get my two aviation degrees that I need as well as advance flight ratings.

The reason there is Ayre coupled with Hazzard is, because its those two worlds, Hazzard County and AyreWolf(Airwolf) mashed together. In short, its time for me to do more Ayre than Hazzard. More overnight, but seeing above the clouds this past week said, I need less rather than more.

L8R Ya’ll

Quote of the Day:
He who laughs last has not yet heard the bad news.
--Bertolt Brecht

Psalm 118:5-6“When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

During the transition HazzardAyre will be off line for a few miles

A nasty fight erupted on fb last night between two factions that I thought had shook hands and made up.

One is on a crusade to get every tow service counted in America. The other I thought was just a casual page for us who just dug older and even classic tow trucks.

Apparently this is not the case.

But the entire issue or issues stress’s the reasons, that years ago, there was a need that the then Hazzard County Knytes(now Knytes-of-Anarchy ) urgently felt a need to address, and formed an alternate group called the Rode Knytes Association.

This was at the same time that the towing industry’s voice was as silent and still as a wupperwill at winter.

Lets face it, the tow operator, more properly called a Emergency Vehicle recovery Technician, is the last and hardly that of everybody who drives. Glad we’re there when needed, and so on. The greater public does not feel the slightest interest in our industries problems. Even though those issues can effect the price they pay for our services.

Public education was job one for the Rode Knytes, and as such launched KTOW AM 1090 in December 1983. We ran and still do, a program called Highway Hooker. Now the terms were racy but got you to listen in. If the prudes really wanted a bitch session here’s one, would you let your kids watch a hit TV series about Nerds(Poindexters) a hit series on CBS TV if you knew the title song was by a group called the Bare Naked Ladies? So true, The Big Bang Theory’s theme song is by Bare Naked Ladies. But you still watch.

Okay off point.

But it would seem that what we did then needs to reoccur. This industry of ours was always competitive, even cut throat in some places, but we all shared the same issues and concerns. Many fought between each other. And while there were national organizations that seemed to speak for all seldom did. TRAA(Towing & Recovery Association of America) which I joined seemed all too interested in big cities and big tow fleets rather than the mom and pop single or two truck companies out here in the sticks. The situation of the landscape hasn’t changed much. Tow shows are still only held in big cities back east or near casino filled towns in Nevada. Oregon has a good one, but ain’t been back since I was treated like crap, one year. Washington has a good show, but it’s a pay to visit show, bullsbreath.

The State of Idaho started a trade group, but its numbers are off into the stratosphere, due to the enlightenment of the fact its recreator and past prezz was using the organization to market product, and at the same time taking a great discount as a dealer to equip his own fleet to compete with the rest of us.

However if you cross our states border to the south , you find Utah. The Utah State Towing Association is one of the most professionally ran groups of its kind. Not only looking out for the big outfits but not putting up a big finger to us in the smaller fleets. Like ours , SpeedWrench Toewing of Morgan Utah. With only 3 trucks we weren’t the biggest but someone that stretch of I-84 could count on.

To the ends here, its time for the might of Highway Hooker to re-enter and once again be that loud howl of towing.

As such, as HazzardAyre is taken from a small blog and reworked into being HazzardAyre Radio as well as a full web site of its own, I’ll be switching to www.highwayhookergazzette.blogspot.com .

More in the morning cold meds really got me dizzy.

L8R Ya’ll

Quote of the Day:
Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.
--Dr. George Washington Carver

1 Peter 1:15-16“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.””

Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Old is not always bad, in fact Old can be radically new

There was a condition that reared its evil head a few hours ago, amid my hacking cough a call came into DXE HQ, for a special tow.

So I took old LexiBelle out and in shorter order, that old 500 Holmes, did the job quick and made the few others standing around in their coveralls with new equipment bewildered.

Old skool, beat new gear again.

Then I get on fb, as I tried(still am) tried to warm up some b4 calling it a night, and saw a thing on this fb page about a national tow list. and putting out a directory of tow companies as a resource to motorists.

Not a bad idea. But its been tried before, with ultimate failure. TRAA, (Towing & Recovery Association of America) , put one out of its members to AAA for a resource. Some were AAA contractors, some weren’t. But the arguments started, AAA was sending none AAA contractors on motor club calls, over AAA contractors , because the none AAA contractors were less cost to the motorist. So AAA stopped publishing the directory and TRAA stopped listing it. The National Street Rod Association, put out a similar directory, for NSRA members. It was called the NSRA Buddy List. Hot rod shops, tow services etc gave deep discounts for being listed. Again arguments started, ultimately NSRA quit the service. Our parent organization the UAITA published a similar directory, that went out to our long haul otr members. Again, none UAITA member companies got called, over member companies. Even to the point everybody started undercutting each other to get on these lists. With some going as so far as trashing other companies trucks so they couldn’t respond, so others could.

To put out such a list takes a ton of research and many employees. Some companies that look like good guys on the surface are sharks feeding off guppies underneath.

One poster on I Love Tow Trucks said something like just do a simple Google search. Well that can be good some search results can pop up from disgruntled former employees or customers who didn’t feel they got a fair shake, or at least a good deal.

I have always said, when going to a new city and your looking up a tow service, look for names of companies, that have been in business for at least 30 plus years, under the same trade name, and ran by the same person or family of the creating owner. In Idaho that number is small. In fact only 8. There’s us here at Highway-Hooker/Dixie Toewing. Hagerman(Hazzard) Idaho. Boise TNT Towing, and B&W, Wrecker Service. Pocatello, Denny’s Wrecker Service Stan's Towing and Custom Towing, in the Idaho Falls area its Morgan's and Sunkiss Towing. Outside of those everybody is either new, start ups or merged with others.

Even partnering with other companies is a tight rope walk. Even though your partnering with another company, you both want each others calls. And its not uncommon to find bitter feuds between good friends due to these feuds.

I’m not saying co-operation between companies, territory protection, and other things like that can’t be done. But in the 21st century, we are living under an even more cut throat industry. The toew pie is even thinner per slice than it was even 20 years ago. Anything that gives you a foot and leg up is good, but the effort can outweigh benefits if you tick off some competitor you might have to work a gnarly wreck clean up with . Its best to leave the listings to the Yellow Pages.

Keep it toewing

Quote of the Day:
Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer.
--Dave Barry

Some of the happiest people have the smell of a cow barn

I still haven’t got the green light from our new Miss AyreWolf to tell you about her here, so I’ll pass that off, and get into the topic.

I got inspiration on this from Our Miss AyreWolf 2013, from a photo posted on her fb page, and thought I’d expand on that a bit.

Since I can’t talk might as well write.

Any flyte, I think it was on the movie Bruce Almighty that it was said best , that the happiest people on earth come home smelling like hell. Hard work that sheds sweat is not bad, in fact its honest. No corporate politics, no back room deals, no nothing but straight forward work.

It’s like gals I have met. Some of the dearest women I have had the pleasure of spending time with are the ones not trying to put on a public show with their looks or bodies, but are quite content just being themselves.

It’s like somebody asked me not too long ago, if there was one place I’d love to live, it’d have to be of course in Hazzard. Well my Hazzard, Idaho. Our family while we did well money wise didn’t really have all that much in worldly goods. While the house was grand by all standards and at least 20 plus years ahead of its time was built with hard work, lots of sweat and much of it by ourselves. I can remember the nights, mom would put Bag Balm on her hands after sanding 8 times 4 on each side of every damn door and there were many, of that house. Then Varathaning each door another 8 times , light sanding between each coat. I can remember stringing wire and hooking up each individual plug to its own breaker switch in the control box. We must have strung enough wire in that house to wire the Pentagon twelve times. Yet at the end of the day, on that front deck, sitting there as only the Doves, and quail sang and we sipped our home made shine, it was just the three of us.

Of course the reasons I had to leave outside of service to the USMC, I have told, many times, but that’s where my mind races when over done by stress today.

I truly wish I could see a future like that of then, but sadly I can’t. But in my minds memory I can relive those days, of racing all around the valley in the General Lee, watching kids of the era climb to the fence at all Junior and grade schools in Twin Falls just to catch a glimpse of OUR General, I can remember the innocent days of busting our knuckles on a 49 Ford F100 to get it ready for a car show, that rivaled all the store bought customs there. After which such innocent releases was ice cream at the A&W on Blue Lakes BLVD where Mister Burger is now. Or Roller Skating where I wasn’t very good, but it was fun.

I can also remember seeing Jimmy and his family, loving each other in rather bleak looking living conditions, but they made it work, and it was there’s. Many envied my life, but having money does not always mean bliss.

It was just after Mom passed and as much as the club guarded me, I felt like a mouse on a field being eyeballed by a great hoot owl. Seemed like every eligible female wanted me. Not for me, but what was attached to my wallet. But I was way too stupid to know. It was at the end of my last marriage that I flat determined that I would dress close to being southern country as I could, drive an older truck, and just be me.

Of course Radio stardom didn’t allow that very much, but I decided that if a gal truly wanted to be personal with me, she would take the time to get to know me, not the club, not the radio gig, certainly not AyreWolf Aviation, Dixie-Deere Racing, or Hazzard County Choppers, just get to know me. And make it honest.

It’s like my extended family in Soda Springs and Grace Idaho.

My Uncle Dell, is the best example. My Cousin Claude, is a supervisor and design tech for Utah Power, He makes good money, but he is most happy riding those hay fields on his horse in solitude. My Aunt Delora, was happiest doing barn milking chores, feeding everything from chickens to peacocks, making great sweet rolls and homemade bread, and that homemade ice cream. In short they didn’t have a lot of worldly riches , but they had a love of family and desires of protecting family traditions that bound them together unlike the wilds of today. My second cousin Brady, Claude's son, is a champion NFR Cowboy but is most happy on a lone trail on his horse.

I can remember summers there, the three of us, myself , cousin Claude, and, cousin Raydean down the field, racing each other moving sprinkler pipe. Sitting under that tiny apple tree and chowing down green apples till we were sick, but it was fun. I was completely happy.

These are some of the innocent and family values we try to impart on today’s radio scene on HazzardAyre. But there are those that love to find fault.

There are those that say we are a bit too wild for them, yet they air HeeHaw, and WKRP, and we are the ones they call racy? Come on give it a break. Looks to me like I need to get hooked back up to cable TV again, don’t it?

But aside that, There are many TV shows that even Family Net does not run.

Of many from the Dukes-of-Hazzard, Airwolf, B.j.& The Bear and some others, they should run. This is why we are bringing to light something called Confederate Star TV, in 2015. But until we get there, doing up HazzardAyre Radio is job one.

But I like to keep it simple and honest. And while way too many of the lovelies that hindered to entering the Wolf’s Den to take part in the thoughts of something terrible would happen to them, is at best a big laugh. As it is our and my idea, no gal is going to have anything happen to them, that they don’t want to happen. If they don’t want extra attention, do not brush off those pheromones .

I come from a family and heritage that put most women on a throne treated them with respect. And like a lady at ALL TIMES.

It’s true, that some of the happiest people smell like hell at the end of the day, just like working on a farm. Or coming from the milk barn.

More flu meds then, bed, hope I’m able to do radio overnight.

L8R Ya’ll

Quote of the Day:
Act as if it were impossible to fail.
--Dorothea Brande

Matthew 6:19-21“[Treasures in Heaven] “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Confederate radio started late one mystifying night

There came a time like it does in every tow truckers life, when I was sitting at the yard, guzzling down a few gallons of watermellon wine, I was tuned into this radio station down Utah yonder and they was doing a otr trucker show thing. I thought just dandy. But I thought, what about us tow truckers? Don’t we count? Back then us who drove a tow truck were seen as a necessary evil in driving a car or truck. Glad we’re here when needed, glad we ain’t when not.

The issues that were plaguing our industry, from image to new ways to tow were increasing ten fold. There was a need for a radio voice for us who tow.

A company name I had used prior to Dixie Toewing/Hazzard County Garage, was drummed in as the new overnight heavy haul tow truckers radio show. But where to air it? Oh we pitched the thing to every gall darn radio station in the valley and one out of Boise, no luck. An old Navy Recruiter buddy of mine said AM 1090 is open for licensing. But what call letters? After churning many over, we arrived on a set that matched. KTOW or KAY-TOW , that had even legendary announcers trying to pronounce it. It was pretty much at that time I said, put a hot set of hosed toes by the call letters. mash the words of toe and tow together as toew, and whala , KTOW was born December 12th 1983. The first programs that aired was we called Highway Hooker Radio. Hooker as in cb slang for tow truck, highway where we worked. After that we filled in space with everything we could find. Then a slight eavesdropping on KNBR out of San Francisco, and caught this now defunct thing called TalkNet, that had such radio pioneers as Sally Jessie Rafael, on there. So I called NBC in NYC, got in touch with the right people and little KTOW became the only, repeat ONLY , NBC Radio affiliate in Idaho. This was good since it gave us access to Doctor Ruth, as well as Doctor Demento. The program schedule ran with 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Road Resque Radio, 6:00PM to Midnight , Highway Hooker Radio, and over night Heavy Hooker Radio, that eventually became Dixie Diesel Trucker Radio. For 29 years little KTOW has been pumping out that tiny 1,000 watt signal keeping those who tow on their toes.

That changes this year. KTOW gets some muscle. In the fall of 2013 here a new tower will go up with new antenna and get the urges of 50,000 watts. Making KTOW the most powerful AM station in the Magic Valley in fact in this part of Idaho.

But let’s look at the rest of what KTOW brought to the radio table.

KTOW brought and will continue running full radio lap to lap coverage of all major NASCAR races, as KTOW is the only MRN (Motor Racing Network) affiliate in Idaho. Next KTOW will continue Highway Hooker Radio and target those who tow, but more KTOW is where kids can visit to dig on tunes as KTOW will be a Radio Disney station , all this from a mere dream and a magical night in that big house on the hill overlooking what we proudly call Hazzard Valley Idaho.

Stay Tuned.

Quote of the Day:
A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.
--Samuel Goldwyn

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

This cough is going to do me in, well maybe not but its sure is shytty.

So have been coughing up flem for the last 4 damn days. Who ever gave me this I’d like to keel haul em. Jiminey Crickets this is rough.

So because I can’t talk been running old versions of my shows. Funny the same issues remain. Uncle Sam wants to take away our weapons, after all don’t want no civil militia to get started. Then I hear from dropping in on one of my other fav radio stations in Boise(670-KBOI) that Bret Musburger said something about Miss Alabama, which to me is scared ground, hey they don’t call Montgomery Alabama, Montgomery Alabama for nothing, them there are some of my roots and ancestors. Any mile, apparently Bret said something about this QB’s finer half who is Miss Alabama being smoking hot. I looked her up, she ain’t. I have one we’re growing here at HazzardAyre that makes Miss Alabama look like one of the guest stars on Shake-it-up on Disney Channel.

Any way, some women’s right groups and those politically correct types blew a big whoogie about the whole thing, and so ESPN had to do a bunch of damage control. Come on now. Has it gotten that bad that one can’t say a gal is beautiful, good looking or even smoking hot without a bunch of women who wish they were good looking blowing a rear end seal?

In my opinion, women are after all women. If they dress to be looked at, they should not growl if some guy notices. Like my dad used to say, if ya’ll ain’t got it for sale, don’t ADVERTISE !!

So went to Freddy’s , no Mentholatum, but did find that organic Root beer my lady in Jerome got me hooked on. Smooth a 50 year old shine. As long as I keep the throat moist I’m , fine, but still it’s a real bitch, when the cough rounds start. Had to pull over twenty times coming home from Freddy’s just to stop coughing.

So then decided to give Wal-Mart one more check for Mentholatum, sure enough just as I approached there were 4 measly jars of the goo, on the shelf, one I had to really growl to get. $6.00 later, a can of SKOAL> and I’m home.

Big C wants me to go to Burley to get LexiBelle ready to transport. As it is, I have two choices no cell , keep LexiBelle in Burley. Pay cell bill, bring LexiBelle over here to sit in the open. Bottom line, ya’ll need to get in touch, do it by landline until the first of February.

People question this line of operation, thinking if the club, pays wages so high why is money so tight? Simple, The last two attempts to bring HazzardAyre Radio to a fever past what it is now, it cost the club a whopping $4,million in both image and reputation control, not to mention land resales and equipment returns. The bottom line is, until I put the right talent behind the mic to bill an airable hour, no income at least to the club, so who pays these bills? Me. Which is why I drive a truck that’s got 300,000 miles on it, and is 20 years old. That’s another reason, I walk on rice patties here to make sure everything goes smoothly. But the time has come for HazzardAyre to go premium, the public needs something to grab on to, and believe in. The children need to have role models that are wholesome, and our radio and TV need to have that guy in the sky, God back in their vocabulary. Someone that will speak the biblical teachings without his hand out at the end of the show.

And mostly somebody who says that for over 150 years we have done things Abe Lincoln’s way, no we need to apply some of those lessons and teachings of Jefferson Davis. The south does not need to rise again, its always been there. Its just now is the time for our southern heritage to be heard, be seen, and be taught. Not just in the southern Confederate States , but in all states of this union.

That’s why there is HazzardAyre, and why HazzardAyre is so damn important. And why even if I do need to do it myself , I’ll do it. What else would you expect from a true confederate soldier as well as a southern Christian?

As soon as I get her permission, I’ll introduce our Miss AyreWolf in my next few entries.

Get to see our Nurse GoodBody, next week.

In closing it’s the ones that stick with you in the beginning that’s worth making an employee in the future. They are friends, and getting away from the he and she shyt, friends are precious no matter their gender.

Despite that , I will say there’s a hottie down here a Kixx 66 that I wouldn’t mind doing a waltz with a few times.

Keep it tween the ditches,

Quote of the Day:
An ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness.
--Elbert Green Hubbard

Amos 5:14-15“Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.”

Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) . All Rights Reserved.

Coughs colds and being as tyred as Boss Hogg at a Hazzard County track meet

If you have been wondering where your energetic old Wolf here has been the last few nights on the air, I’ll tell you. This old body said flat no.

I tried to get up and do a show last night but got as tuckered as Sheriff Crabtree trying to dig a hole to find the Confederate cash box under the Boars Nest, about half through. So through the ancient miracle of cassette tape and part automation I flipped everything over, took some cold meds and cashed out.

Okay a few asked me about the visit from the honey from Filer, that I seem to be excited about. Shy of two others that I have worked with prior, they being in Order Robin Whittaker of Rupert, now spokesmodel for Freightliner a division of Damzler Benz , and our Nurse GoodBody, who is my angel of mercy on many fronts and our go to gal, this sweet star from Filer, if my instincts are good, could be another one of those super talents, that I bump into once in awhile.

And to answer the burning question, no , nose or lips on toes in hose, although I nearly mentioned it but thought too much too soon, so didn’t, although in those black heels she wore I did think of it. I’m waiting for her to make that move, like coming over and without a prompt, just pull off her heels and putting those toes in hose against my nose.

Course in my condition that might do some good, might stop the coughing any way.

Okay, didn’t Wal-Mart predict this? I went to both Wal-Mart’ the one in Jerome , Twin Falls and even Burley, no humidifiers anywheres. Then to top it off still no Mentholatum. So been taking baths in really hot water to loosen up the flem, and get rid of the mucus drain.

Back on the nylon thing for just a minute.

I have a pair in my tool box and a pair in my emergency kits on both trucks. No this is not to do something kinky or hinky , but if your serpentine or v-belt around your alternator, water pump etc goes out in the middle of BFI(Bum-Fracked-Idaho) you can tie those hose together and stretch em over the pulleys tight enough to get back to civilization to render a more permanent repair.

If the air filter goes out, a electric tie and hose from toe up to the right length over the inlet snorkel will give you some filtration until you get back home. Plus old hose works great for spray gun filters yep. Pour the paint after you mix it in the paint cup through the hose, gets all the grits out. And last nylons work great for polishing chrome. Nylons have just the right mix of abrasiveness to remove the dried bugs and pitting chrome without stripping the metal beyond repair.

Any way just wanted to get ya’ll updated, going over to the Depot, grab some grub and such then I’m at the Wolf’s Den

L8R Ya’ll