Monday, March 16, 2009

Fire Jammin' for Agape & KAFM!


BDFC will host an open fire jam to open up the Agape Experiment Fund Drive Dance Party coming up on Friday, March 27th. The fire jam will be from 8:30-9:30 pm, in front of the KAFM studios at 1310 Ute in Grand Junction.

Come on out to spin or watch--fun for all ages--and then get your dancin' shoes on and come inside for the dance party! Featuring live DJs, Rigged 2 Flip bar, massage lounge, and dance pole!

It's all to support KAFM. For more details visit the Agape Experiment blog here.

See you there!

Monday, December 8, 2008

The History of Black Betty

The limo was originally purchased by Callahan-Edfast mortuary, for use a a funeral procession car. That's for the live ones, not the dead ones. Many tears were shed in that car by families grieving and releasing their loved ones. After ten years or more, Callahan retired the limo, but instead of selling it, they donated it to one of the local Boy Scout chapters. The Scouts had it for several years, and I'm not sure what they did with it it, but I bet they had a blast. They laughter of the boys in neckerchiefs surely balanced the previous cries of sorrow.

In 1996, I was cruising home on North Avenue when the big gray beast winked at me from the Wal-Mart parking lot. It was for sale and it was perfect! At that time, I owned BrightStar Homes, residential care homes for elderly persons with Alzheimer's Disease. Like anyone else, those folks needed to get out of the house for some fresh air. The problem was how to get all five residents, plus a driver and supervisor, out at the same time. This was it! The little old grannies though it was just the coolest thing to be picked in a limousine to tour the blossoming fruit trees of Palisade, the fall colors on the Mesa, the precipitous canyons of the Monument, or just something as simple as a shopping trip to the Mall or watching kids play at Canyon View Park. But they were every confused about being in the midst of the crowds, noise, and excitement at the Parade of Lights. We only tried that once.

After I closed BrightStar in 2003, the limo sat dormant for a few years. I toyed with the idea of of starting a "Last Resort Limo" service catering to low-budget gritty mountain bikers, climbers, and others seeking adventure in western Colorado and eastern Utah, but it never came to pass. You know the rest...

Story from Dave B.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Our Limo in Process – The FLAME job!

By far, the coolest part of the process, peeling the tape off after the flames were completed. Our flame artist, my dad, worked hard Sunday to complete the artwork, as we all stood by watching, hardly being able to wait! Black Betty is born.




Our Limo in Process – The Limo Party!

Our limo party was a success! We had a great turnout and got a lot accomplished, including taping and painting the roof, masking the flames, and detailing the interior. Here are some photos:












Friday, November 21, 2008

Our Limo in Process – Tinting and Drawing Flames!

Will got the windows half way tinted yesterday, and is hoping to finish up today. Twice I've walked by thinking no one was out there and there were people inside the limo... These things are dark!

Our flame artist, my dear dad, got the lines drawn out yesterday as well, and is doing some taping today. These babies are going to POP! Flamin' limo, just what a fire collective needs.

Tomorrow we have our group gathering to work on the interior and the roof, as well as establishing our parade plans. We may start painting the flames and drawing out the jolly roger as well. Lots to do still! Plenty of room for everyone to participate in part of the process.

Those Dark Tinted Windows:


Flame Outlines:


The Artist at Work:

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Our Limo in Process – Plans, plans

While we originally had many huge ideas for the limo, it came down to people who are excited and out there working on it to come up with the final plan. At this point, a flame job will be added down the sides of the matt black paint job, and a very subtle jolly roger on the hood. The interior will be well cleaned, and a dance platform built on the top now that we have a welder on the crew capable of doing the work. Mirror window tinting is being priced, we are hoping it is in the budget.

A dj booth is still planned for the trunk, though the logistics need to be worked out. A small generator will accompany the awesome new sound system we have. Tool racks for the sides of the platform also need to be planned out.

We will need to have a limo fundraiser. Finishing the dance platform will cost a bit of money, but we are confident that we can raise it. Any ideas are welcome and encouraged.

Our Limo in Process – The Middle Seat

We always thought the seat needed to be flipped around in the limo to make it less bus-like and more limo-like, but weren't sure if it was feasible. With the help of Jaik and Aaron, Will was able to pull the old middle seat, flip the brackets, and replace the seat facing back. Now it's a limo with style!