JKutchma and the Five Fifths LIVE 3.28.2013

A fine Thursday evening for a show it was. On this night, the band was JKutchma and the Five Fifths. J, one of my oldest pals from life and one of my favorite local Durham musicians, took the stage at the Pinhook in downtown Durham, NC at about 11:30pm and played about an hour of great music. J, up to this point, probably best known for his work in the rock band, Red Collar, has been doing this solo thing (well sort of solo, but with a backing band) for a spell now and is about to release his second album under the JKutchma and the 5/5 moniker in June 2013 on Last Chance Records. The music is not always exactly country and not always exactly rock and roll all the time, but definitely lingers somewhere in those two realms. From the brooding "I'll Survive" to the toe tapping "Teenage DMZ" he's probably got you covered when it comes to a tune that you'll be humming long after hearing it and live he leaves a quite an impression. If you are in the area on or one of his future tour dates, I'd highly recommend going out to check him out, he rarely disappoints. Watch the video below to see what I mean.

Ton Up NC = Riding, Restoration and Racing of Vintage Motorcycles

-Brian

New Ton Up NC Store.

Be sure to visit the new Ton Up NC store. We have several new items for sale:

Brit Trifecta koozies!

SE Rochelle Run shirts!

Bull City Rumble 9 shirts!

TUNC Support shirts!

Ton Up NC = Riding, Restoration and Racing of Vintage Motorcycles

-Brian

Reminiscing: White Lightening 2012

White Lightening 2012, hard to believe its already been a year and we are on the eve of the 2013 edition and racing season. In 2012 the Ton Up compound included: Max and Scott from Fla. and TUNC's Jim, Eric, Alex and Me (Brian). Max raced his Triumph twin, Scott on his Premiere class AJS, Jim on the T25T Field Pig, ALex on the C15, me on the XR200 and Eric on the Hondapontamos (a monstrous Honda 400cc twin). What follows are some pics from the weekend of racing.

The Race Meeting

Field Pig is as Field Pig does.

Jim and Scott.

Max.

Eric on the grass track portion of the course.

Jim finishes day 1.

Eric finishes day 1.

Scott.

Alex.

Tent maint.

AJS.

Max and Field Pig share a moment.

Alex and the BSA C15

Fla. transporter.

See you in Chester, SC this weekend (3.16-17) for the 2013 edition of White Lightening Vintage Cross Country.

Ton Up NC = Riding, Restoration and Racing of Vintage Motorcycles

-Brian

New Season Dawning: AHRMA Racing

Chad on his BSA 441 in WV.

Vintage motorcycle racing is a disease. It comes on innocent enough, disguised as an opportunity to spend the weekend with old and new friends in a sea of rusty motorcycles, pop-up tents and pickup trucks. ...nights spent sitting around  the campfire, cold beer in hand, sharing stories of broken bikes, past races and secret formulas for mechanical success. Then it happens, race morning dawns, your number is up, the flag drops and you're a goner, sucked in by the adrenaline rush, hypnotized by the engine roar and consumed by the smell of race fuel. The disease begins to take hold. You push yourself each weekend to to catch that elusive point leader, best your last lap time or just get a little closer to the finish line before you or your bike break. Then there's no turning back, there's nothing but the next race. What follows are some musings from TUNC members as the AHRMA vintage race season lingers off in the not too distant future. Race #1 for most of us is White Lightening Cross Country March 12-13 in Chester, SC. For more info. on our racing schedule click here.

Eric on his 2012 XC racer, the Hondapatomus

You know I was trying to be calm about racing this year.  Spend more time with the family, try and make it to more bike rally's, race a few races and not get so consumed with the whole thing.

All was good until I started registering for races and realized it was only two weeks away...  Now I got the f'n DT's, can't think straight, worried about getting the bike right, worried about points, how many races can I possibly make it to, and how the hell am I going to afford it...

If they let me loose right now I'd smoke a tree with the throttle pinned before the first 100 feet.

IT'S A F'N DISEASE!!!!!!!!!   LET'S GO RACING BOY'S!!!!!!!!!   HHHAAAWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

-Eric

1974 Honda Elsinore 250

Jim and the Field Pig in Chester, SC 2012.

...while doing the pre-registration this AM for White Lightening....I started gettin all twitchy wound up - nerves on edge - thinking about season 2.    

Last year...I was a wreck at Gatorback...the tension nearly drained me, the partial lap I could muster took what was left.    But things got a lot less taxing as the season went on.   White Lightening was a milestone - completed many (for me) laps...had a blast doing it...felt confident and the bike did what I needed it to.   But...at all races...lining up at the start, watching each wave go....disappearing into the wooded unknown....then off with my wave....hoping not to kill myself, or someone else....make it out as unscathed as possible - lap after lap...managing the muddy climbs..over the slick roots trying to guide the bike over the edge, or into the trees...the narrow rock littered descents that want to launch you off trail...the long stretches of tight tree slaloms that want to bust your knuckles, the grassy open runs wet with dew that want to spill your ass in front of everyone....and the finish - the relief, the sense of accomplishment...the exhaustion, the exuberance.....then later...when we're all in....the stories, the hanging out with my boys, grillin', smokin' & beveraging up...and looking forward to the next race...

Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Jim

1971 Triumph T25T Field Pig

Marcus feeds his Bultaco MX racer.

Me (Brian) on my XR200 PV XR bike in WV 2012.

Patman road racing.

Hope to see you all out on the track this season.

Ton Up NC = Riding, Restoration and Racing of Vintage Motorcycles