Crow's Column

August 19-25, 2005

Mid August is here. I've just returned from Texas where I went through some seriously emotional events. Whenever you go from a wedding, to a reception (for a different wedding), to a separation, to a life taking illness your mind just stops coping.

The wedding was great. In Houston, TX, an old friend tied the knot in a brief ceremony before friends and family with a Justice of the Peace presiding. The guests were long time friends of his and mine from the old neighborhood which made the dinner and after party extremely fun for all. This was easily the most stress free wedding I've attended. Plus, my lone star belt buckle was a HUGE success!

The reception was in Dallas the same day and while I missed the actual event, I arrived in town soon enough to see the out of town guests before they departed. This due to my tendency to sleep late and make up time on the road by putting the pedal down. I've been thinking about calling my car 'Winged Thunder' and that's the song inspiration for this months column.

The Ballad of Thunder Road (excerpt)

And there was thunder thunder on that Thunder Road
Thunder was his engine white lightning was his load
There was moonshine moonshine to quench the devil's thirst
The law men swore they'd get him, but the devil got him first
Roaring out of Harlan went the whippoorwill
He shot the gap at Cumberland and screamed through Maynardsville
With G-men oh his taillights and roadblocks up ahead
That mountain boy took roads that even angels fear to tread...

With the Dukes of Hazzard lingering in theatres, I remembered this mid-fifties tale that must have inspired the original series since this song was a big hit in its day and it's still quite listenable.

After traveling over 4000 miles in 10 days I feel like my own hunk of metal has earned a moniker like the General Lee. And I figure between this song, and my own custom graphics on the side (I'll see if I can dig up some photos) there should be plenty of inspiration. If I like anyone's suggestion better than my own, I'll mail them a $25 check.

Suggestions will be posted in next month's column along with the winner. If you need to know how to contact me, check out my resume.