ANOTHER Bronson Trek

[Donson]

This week, My Bronson Pals gathered in Montrose, Colorado for the 42nd Anniversary. For various reasons, I was unable to attend. They have been keeping Me updated with numerous phone calls and post cards. Guests showed u p from New jersey, and California, and points in between.Three of the Guys stopped to see Me, en-route, including Jim, whom I had never met face to face. Jim is a retired G-man and State Department Guy, who traces His bike addiction back to watching Bronson on TV, as a Kid. His BMW shared My shop with Tom"s Honda. Tom has worked for American Honda for 20 odd years, and both are nice Guys. Kim, a retired Navy Chaplin from Oxford, Mississippi, also stopped for 2 nights, and I tried to corrupt Him with cold beveridges. You will never meet nicer Guys.
I digress, in order to get My Bronson fix, while the Guys were in Colorado, I downloaded My pics from Our 2009 gathering in Big Sur. I had never been to Big Sur, and I could not get over the beauty. We rode over Bixby Creek Bridge, 40 years to the day after the Movie premiered. I took My Bronson bike, and My Electra Glide, in My horse trailer/Casita . Hope You enjoy the pics.
40th Anniversary decal I designed on Mikes bike. Mike Blanchard is the webmaster for www.jimbronson.com, and resides in Sasebo Japan. His Lovely Wife Vicki accompanied Him. Billy Gibson and His sweet Wife, Jan , also attended, and I rounded out the trio..
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010243.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010254.jpg We spared no expense on graphics and advertising!
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/031.jpg Not a bad place to spend an afternoon, riding with Friends.

[Donson]

A HOG Chapter came out from SanFrancisco, to meet with Us, and look at the Bronson Bikes .
Ed K showed up, also, but I cant find a pic for some reason. It was great to meet You, Ed!

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010288.jpg
Mike, on the left, visits with a HOG, about the bikes.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010296.jpg
Billy Gibson,Washington,DC, Donson (seated) Texas, and Mike Blanchard, Japan, pose for the camera.

I parked My bike at the edge of the cliff, and offered anyone who wanted to sit for pics. Here is Sportster Diana getting Her fix. Diana ran Her Sporty at Bonneville last year, and also showed up at the H-D Museum when Our bikes were displayed there!
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010287.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010234-1.jpg
Is it Bronson? No, its Donson! I didnt know California had a helmet law! Hey, when riding a Bronson bike, across Bixby Creek Bridge, officer, a Watch Cap is required!

[Donson]

The Big Sur scenery is beyond descriptionn......

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/033-1.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/030-2.jpg

Mike and Vicki, two of the finest Folks I have ever met....
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/025.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/013.jpg

A young BMW rider ,drinking Bronson Kool-Aide!http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/015.jpg

Billy Gibson also brought His replica Sprint stunt bike. He hand made the fake exhaust, the front fender, the chain gaurd, fake oil bag, sissy bar, and....well most of the bike.
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/012.jpg

[panthercity]

Way cool!

[Donson]

Here is an Ad from 1970, showing Bud Ekins on a Sprint Bronson replica, in a scene from Jackson Hole, where Bronson is chasing Keenan Wynn, riding His 1937 Rudge Ulster (with Bronze head).
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010290.jpg

A rose amongst the flowers.
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/038.jpg

Mike is ready....
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010261.jpg

Billy rushes the erosion at Bixby Creek , no doubt hastening Californias collapse into the the Pacific Trench.
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010298.jpg

[DarthRider]

Cool pics...wish I had the watch cap concession!
How do you guys tell each other apart?

[Donson]

I was somewhat worried about being in California,seen too much evening news, I guess.
Everybody was wonderful!
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010278.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010256.jpg

Big Sur Campgrounds. I rented (bought?) a really cool 1 bed cabin here. Only $700 for 3 nights! "Its our off-season rate.":kiss2:
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/019.jpg
See the cable suspension bridge above the water? It was closed, posted "Unsafe-Keep Off".
Well, I happen to know one Peckerhead who sat up there, half the night, with a 12 pack.....Life is for Living.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/022.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/023.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/006.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010280.jpg

Mike and Vicki cross the bridge.
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010274.jpg
Too soon, it was over, and I headed home to Texas, Mike and Vicki to Japan, and Billy home to the Beltway.....Hang in there!

[Donson]

Cool pics...wish I had the watch cap concession!
How do you guys tell each other apart?

Easy Dave, I am the cool one!:eusa_whistle::001:

[Donson]

CORRECTION: My Bronson bike was not diplayed at the H-D Museum.
When We got the invite, I had already commited My time (and money) to travel to West Virginia, where We were the featured Guest at the MOUNTAINFEST Rally for the 40th anniversary of TCB. The rest of the Guys got to display,and they brought Me a REALLY COOL Bag O' Swag, compliments of the Motor Company.
Also, at the time these pics were taken, in 2009, We had never heard of Birney Jarvis, and thought the Movie was pure Fiction.
At MOUNTAINFEST, We met Birney, thanks to Jim Williams, Out resident G-Man. What a treat, to meet the REAL Bronson.....

[Deans BMW]

Don, great pics. that does bring back great memories.

[Sir Limpsalot]

Very enjoyable, Don. That Sprint looks a handy little tool. Is that an Avon SM I see on the back of one of the bikes? Cool, "period" tyres too!

[JCsman]

Great post, Don. Never been to Big Sur. But it's about to go on the bucket list. Crazy cool that 40 years later a one-season, TV show could still inspire so many folk to build replica bikes and hold gatherings.

[panthercity]

...Crazy cool that 40 years later a one-season, TV show could still inspire so many folk to build replica bikes and hold gatherings.What he said!

[Donson]

When We displayed Our bikes and memorabilia at MOUNTAINFEST, We had 60,000 Visitors file by over a 3 day span.
I t was amazing, and inspiring, to see the lights come on, in their eyes, when they recognized the bike.
I dont know how many times I heard, "I started riding bikes because of that show!"
I also dont know how many times I saw grown Men with tears in their eyes, as their minds went back 40 years to that spark....
Then, when they got to the end of Our display, which was large, there sat Birney Jarvis, with His big smile, and hand-shake.
Birney signed so may autographs, and shook so many hands, that He had to have surgery when He got home!
I think Dave hit the nail on the head, in His article on the Bronson Bike in MOTORCYCLE CLASSICS magazine, about the thrill of showing People Our bikes. Its "Psychic payback".:001:

[SV Andy]

Cheers Don enjoyed that i seem to remember lads jumping Montesa trials bikes over car jacks in the workshop got me into motorcycles oh and one the older apprentices had a rather nice red tanked 400/4.

[Donson]

:028::001:Thanks, andy! Montesa, now You are showing Your age!

[Donson]

Very enjoyable, Don. That Sprint looks a handy little tool. Is that an Avon SM I see on the back of one of the bikes? Cool, "period" tyres too!
Here is the easiest way to start the sprint, Si.....
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010249.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv21/bryanetta2009/P1010250.jpgShe is a pain to start, AND to ride!:patch::001:

[panthercity]

My last flat tracker was a Harley-Hard-To-Guide Aermacchi Sprint 350. 1972???

[Ed K]

Don,

It was great to meet with you and other TCB buddies on that day.

Not sure if mentioned then, but I was sure as I pulled up seeing you with the cap, sitting on the TCB bike that you were Jim Bronson (Michael Parks)...you looked so much like him.

[Donson]

Don,

It was great to meet with you and other TCB buddies on that day.

Not sure if mentioned then, but I was sure as I pulled up seeing you with the cap, sitting on the TCB bike that you were Jim Bronson (Michael Parks)...you looked so much like him.

Better get some new spectacles , Ed!:)

[DarthRider]

I dunno...I think Ed's right...
http://www.askactor.com/images/casts/United_States/Michael_Parks_actress.jpg

[Donson]

I dunno...I think Ed's right...
http://www.askactor.com/images/casts/United_States/Michael_Parks_actress.jpg

Ah, Michael as Senor Esteban, the Pimp. He is incredibly talented, and plays an excellent Bad Guy.
http://youtu.be/flpxujAPNYE