Last week I made it out to a unique event. It was actually one stop for a tour of rat rods, which are not the type of custom car you see trying to knock out highway miles. This meant the cars and the people driving them were unique among an already unique subculture, and I was really glad to have gotten out of the house to catch a glimpse as they hit four cities in five days.
Proud Mary BBQ is a spot I will definitely return to. It’s hidden below Interstate 75 as it crosses the Kentucky River. Sitting on the old road (before the interstate came through) means you can take the original 2-lane down to the spot and shoot home on the slab to beat the setting sun, which is a unique option among local watering holes.
Old Clay’s Ferry bridge.
There’s also a stage, though they picked a quiet duet of guys playing country and rock classics on acoustic guitars, which allowed car talk and catching up with friends to dominate. Kids played in the sandbox or shook their tushes to the band (oh to have the energy and reckless abandon of a 6yr old), but of course the real show was out in the parking lot. There were immaculate 1950s and 60s cars along with the rat rods, which almost by mandate are going to be a hodge-podge of multiple decades, usually in a 1920s-1930s body.
The recurring theme in the builds I saw was more about practicality, if you can believe it. Everything that drove in was on new tires and most had modern disc brakes. Even cars with 1950’s engines normally had upgraded electrical systems and low-draw LED lights. In the cockpit, functioning gauges to monitor the engine’s vitals were common. In short, these were meant to be driven as much as shown. Several large trucks were present, hauling plenty of tools, though I only saw one breakdown on the way in. There were some wild builds, including two with large Cummins diesels and one massive V8 with twin turbos, though one turbo had already lunched itself on the drive up. The owner was undeterred and planned to keep driving it until he could get home and replace it.
The lean toward practicality is strange in the world of hot rods, but these cars were part of a larger event, touring the country and hitting four cities in five days. That of course means actual driving, and I don’t just mean to the local BBQ joint. That’s likely why so many of these custom cars had such wild additions as a windshield (not all of them, mind you) and were missing things like floor pans with so much rust you could see the highway passing underfoot.
The choice of tires was a big giveaway, as most were on truck tires and not the skinny reproduction Coker tires that are common in the hot rod world. Not that Coker have anything to apologize for, mind you. I once again failed to take pictures of actual people enjoying the show, but usually I’m enjoying people’s conversation in those moments so it’s not a good time for photos. After all, I’m a participant at these events and not an influencer there to do marketing work and vlogging. Ya get what ya get, people. What I got was some good memories, and an introduction to a great spot only about 20-30 minutes from my current home base.
That it is tucked down in the deep river valley, right next to the calm Kentucky River, is already idyllic. The old bridge next to it and the way the road wraps around the riverbank is even better, with the upper story of the place giving a somewhat panoramic view, considering you’re tucked down in a gorge. Then, having the interstate passing several hundred feet overhead… well, it just gives you this feeling that the hectic-ness of the real world has passed you by, and that’s a good thing. All the buzz of commerce is literally flying over your head, barely adding to the timeless feeling as you sip on a cold drink and watch people play a game of cornhole, or just watch the clouds meander past. Proud Mary has something special about it, and you’d never know it was there from the super-slab. Better yet, I found a second place via a local friend who wanted to meet up somewhere before riding to the event.
That place is Boonedogs and it will end up in a future post I’m sure. While they specialize in hot dogs and brawts, they take the dog theme all the way, hosting “yappy hour” where adoptable pets get to show up and strut their stuff in the large outdoor seating. They do a really good chicken sandwich too, and the happy hour has these massive 24oz. mugs of a local pilsner for $3.50, which hits me right in my frugal heart. Now I’ve got a short loop if I ever want to go bar hopping, and two really good food menus to go with it. But hey, that’s all for now. Sometime soon I’ll have a short blog post go live with Motorcycle Missions, and I’ll update y’all on that when I can. I’ve started helping out with them in more depth than just attending events and helping run the booth, so I expect I’ll start having more posts to share on a website besides my own. I’ve been out of the loop for awhile when it comes to actual “writing” as in the business of writing articles for publication. You know, deadlines and editing and incorporating feedback. I’ve been poking away at my book and posting occasionally here, but it’s different entirely compared to submitting something for someone else’s outlet: you have to match their voice and worry more about how it will be engaged with over time. Until next time, yee-to-the-haw…
Johnny Killmore 