My father is crazy

[kornkob]

http://jrobinson5.photosite.com/Album1/pumpkinsidecar.html


Yes, that is a real pumpkin. Yes, he grew it in his back yard. Yes, that is a sidecar. Yes, he made it himself. Yes, he drove it this way on public streets.


246 pounds according to the certified scale the old man has in his shop.

I'm one of those sons that is really proud of his old man but sometimes I wonder if insanity runs in the family.



Now excuse me while I set up a graveyard in the front yard for halloween.

 

[El Pistolero]

Your dad looks like a groovy old dude.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

That's amazing! Props to your pops! The only thing I would have done differently is carve it up jack-o-lantern style like Col. Klink and put a coleman lantern in it. Maybe he did that after he weighed it.

 

[david_42]

Cool! I say a picture yesterday of a "row your own pumpkin" race. But, a sidecar.

 

[kornkob]

A local bar owner (not a pub alas, but one of Wisconsin's ubiquitous bars) bought it off him for quite a hefty sum.

Yes, my pop is a 'groovy old dude' replete with the geodesic dome in the back yard (where the pumpkin grew) and the race car and racing motor cycle in the garage (both land speed racers, not sporting racers).

I love my pops-- but that doesn't make him any less crazy. : )

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Sounds more interesting than crazy, or perhaps a bit of both!

 

[Walker]

I'd surely have a beer with him, so that makes him OK in my book.

-walker

 

[kenmc]

A local bar owner (not a pub alas, but one of Wisconsin's ubiquitous bars)

Care to tell me the difference between a bar and a pub? Same thing over here.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Care to tell me the difference between a bar and a pub? Same thing over here.

Just blowing out my ass here, so feel free to disagree. A bar here is probably closer to a club in the UK, or at least it just serves 'mass produced' beer and maybe a couple 'premiums' like Yuengling (??) or Bass. Loud music which renders useful conversation virtually impossible. If someone says 'corner bar' it may be closer to a British pub.

Usually when people say a pub in the States I'm thinking good microbrews if not brewed on the premises, and more of a cozy place you can actually have a conversation and be heard. It can also mean a commercialized facsimile of a British pub (imported Irish bartenders, lots of wood trim, shepherd's pie, lots of drunk professional singles with 'authentic' black & tans...).

I think culturally there may be some differences, as well, at least speaking with some British colleagues. Apparently people get started earlier in Britain at a pub and finish by 10-11pm when the pub closes (correct me there if I'm off), while in the US a lot of people don't reach a bar until 10 or 11pm.

 

[Darth Konvel]

That's awesome. Could make one wicked huge jack-o-lantern with that thing.

 

[Truble]

If I had a pumpkin that big, I'd say 'crazy' was NOT taking it out for a ride A pumpkin that big does whatever it wants!

 

[Orfy]

Bar or Pub,

Loosley speaking a Pub is a stand alone building and a Bar or Wine Bar is usually squeezed in between shops etc.

Bars are subject to the same licensing laws as a pub. (Which is all changing)

Pubs and Bars generaly have a 11.00pm finish with 20 minutes drink up and a 11.30 chuck out.

Clubs tend to open 10pm. till 2.00am

But Like I say that is all changing.

BTW if you want to see a selection from my home town take a quick look here.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wire123/index.htm
click on pubs.

 

[kornkob]

Bar vs Pub vs Club, Wisconsin style.

BAR - A typical Wisconsin bar trends toward the macro-brews and the commercial booze market. Usually there is a dart board and a pool table if the palce seats more than 20 folks. If they serve food it will generally be deep fried or made on a flat grill with the major ingredient being cheese, usually cheddar. If the TV is on and the Packers are playing then you get to watch the Packers play. Usually you get a shot for free every time the Packers score. You can tell you are in a town in Wisconsin if there is a gas station and a bar. There are usually more bars than churches in any give square mile of Wisconsin landscape. Bars in Wisconsin are commonly occupied by at least 3 people (besides employees) from open (often 9 or 10 am) till close (2am) with peak ours beign 5pm - 8pm and 10pm - 1am

PUB - A pub tends to run more toward microbrews and high end alcohols for more discerning tastes. Usually service food that is of a higher quality than the fried fare of their bar bretheren, the pub is much closer to a resturant that serves booze than a bar that has food. Hours do vary depending on how 'resturant-centric' the establishment is but tend to have the same busy periods as a bar, just with a different client base. Prices are generally 20% to 50% higher, consumate with the quality.

CLUB- Primary focus for a Club is dancing or bands as entertainment and drinking. "cruising" for 'chicks' is one of the primary male occupations at a Club. Beer is macro-brews with a focus more on trendy alcoholic drinks. Generally opening at 9pm or later, the operating principle is to pack the place in tight and keep the volume of the music or band high enough that it is hard to have a conversation. No food. Obligatory condom machines in bathrooms. Bouncers mandatory.


Gross generalizations above are intentional and made without reservation or apology.

 

[Windaria]

Wait wait wait... I can't believe all of you, you're all more experienced than me and yet NONE of you saw the true use for a pumpkin like that...

Can you imagine making 10 gallons or so of pumpkin ale... using an actual pumpkin as the primary!!! Woo hoo!

 

[sudsmonkey]

Dude ! Imagine the pumpkin pie from that sucker ! Jason, your Old Man seems really cool, if the pictures are any indicator of his personality. He has good taste in motorcycles. BMW is the best ever bike in the world. Harleys sound great, and there is no substitute, but a Beemer will never let you down. Love the picture of your Dad and his buddy. I appreciate any guy who will ride the frame of an unfinished sidecar. At the meetings, we'd call him an enabler. Is that a Norton engine on the red project bike ? That's mean lookin' ! Visit the Old Guy on Saturday , if you can. He's one of a kind.

 

[kornkob]

The red bike that is pictured on that site is a 1967 BSA Victor 441 single that went 107.391 MPH at the Bonneville Time Trials.

http://jrobinson5.photosite.com/Album1/?page=1

He's also got a car for the time trials:

http://www.kornkob.com/gallery/details.php?image_id=1245
http://www.kornkob.com/gallery/details.php?image_id=1246
http://www.kornkob.com/gallery/details.php?image_id=1251 (lost my beer when taking pics--- took me a while before I remembered where I put it)
http://www.kornkob.com/gallery/details.php?image_id=1228

 

[sudsmonkey]

The Old Man has some Mo' fine machinery ! Would he like to adopt a 37 year-old kid to leave all that to ?