No you read the names right, let me tell you a story! Last spring my phone rang and it was Speedo! He was very excited and could not wait to tell me about “Holmer the Hippy Biker Dude” who was going to carve me a very large “Beaky”! Speedo had just dropped of a tree 4 foot in diameter and 8 foot tall at “Holmer’s” place in northern Vermont. Speedo wanted me to send Beaky #1 to Holmer so he could use it as a model for the new Beaky #2!
Characters in this story:
Speedo – Steve Deskins who is a country DJ and dance instructor who has a country dance club in Lancaster, New Hampshire.
Holmer the Hippy Biker Dude is a tree carver who carves figures out of trees using a chain saw! Holmer also writes and composes his own songs!
Beaky 1 – is a small 3′ fiberglass vulture made from a old cartoon by a friend of mine named Bill Ford. We take Beaky 1 to a lot of our country dances – he has a pair of 6 guns on and we change hats with the seasons.
Beaky 2 – or Tracy Bird we might call him is a 7 foot tall 700 pound carving made by Holmer .
Princess One Feather – is an Indian princess mannequin that “Hillbilly” Rick takes on trips at times!
Now back to the story – we packed Beaky #1 into a nice size box, put on a nice hat for him and packed in a very large supply of gummy worms for his trip to “Holmer’s”! A sign was included on how to feed Beaky and which colored gummy worms he preferred before nap time! It was sad but we put Beaky on the Bus and sent him to “Holmer’s!” I felt a lot better when “Holmer called and said that Beaky had arrived and was accepted by his family and neighbors really well!
In September “Holmer called and said that he had the new Beaky #2 done and was running out of gummy worms so that I needed to get there to pick him up! Only 1250 miles away! I couldn’t wait! Along came my opportunity I was going to Toronto Canada which was over half way there to visit Anne Emslie and friends. I hooked up my trailer, “Princess 1 Feather” rode in the front seat, funny the looks you get when you drive up with a princess in the front seat.First stop Buffalo, New York, I was tired and decide to pull off and find a motel and maybe a place to dance. I took the first exit I came to, turned right at the first light and proceeded to look for a motel or a mini market. When it looked like I was going into residential area I stopped a large white building and went up to the door to ask directions only to find it closed. As I started to get back into my Blazer I looked up and on t he sign it said that there was a dance club called “Desperados” around back! I couldn’t believe it several hundred country dancers and a motel to boot! I got to dance and bunk out at the same place! If your in the area check it out! Next morning I looked out and Princes 1 feather had done her job nobody had bothered my Blazer!
Next came the crossing into Canada at Niagara Falls! The customs officer asked several questions and then asked about the princess, my remarks were that she was my traveling companion and she never talked back! Go on through the customs officer said with a smile!
While in Toronto The Princess and I were treated like royalty by Anne & John Emslie and all her friends. Got to meet all kinds of nice dancers, even one called Crock!, we had a lot in common! In the four days I was there I got to visit the Sky Dome – the eight wonder of the world! I had fun teaching some dances that I had learned in Australia and also got to teach Big Un’ with my fishing rod and fish that flops! Went to the Palomino Club and met Nick who also taught me several dances. Alan Jackson had done his first Canadian Show at the Palomino Club! I met instructors and DJ’s from Nashville North and Wild Rose both Country Dance Clubs in Toronto!
After Ann & John spoiled us we finally loaded up Monday morning to head for Montreal! Along the way I stopped for a Pizza in Kingston and ran into another dance club called the IronHorse! I arrived in Montreal hoping to find a country dance place but quickly gave up when I found out they all talked French and I only knew Hillbilly! It also started to snow like a blizzard so I decided to head for the US and try to cross the line before I fell asleep.
About 2 in the morning I reached the border only to find myself facing a border guard who started asking a lot of questions! Like how much money do you have, why did you go to Canada, what’s your plate # —- at that point I got out to read my license plate # to her! Why are you pulling a empty trailer, what did you take into Canada – I said nuthin! She finally got around to Princess 1 Feather! Who or what is that in your front seat? I asked her if she wanted the truth- she said yes so her goes! I said ” My name is “Hillbilly” Rick and this is Princess 1 Feather and I am taking her to meet Speedo and Holmer the Hippy Biker Dude and pick up Beaky 1 and Beaky 2!”
She scratched her chin for a moment or so and a bit of a smile emerged- she said that makes perfect sense go on through! I started to get into my car but could not resist it – I said why does it make perfect sense to you? Her reply even though he lives several hours from here I went to high school with Speedo and if anybody would bring a princess to meet anybody it would have to be Speedo! Small world Huh! Let’s make it smaller – I get in laughing after she tells me her maiden name and start driving down the road and pull in at the first motel I come to! The next morning I asked the lady at the desk if she had any idea where Holmer the Hippy Biker Dude lived! She had never heard of him but when I told her he had carved Beaky she told me to go out their drive and take a left make a right at the first T road I came to and Holmer’s place was on the left a few miles down the road. Now if I had gone to Speedo first I would have driven over 1 hour the wrong way and would have had to come back to get Beaky!
