Our Chopper....

Well here it is...the "chopper". I was hirred to make a repllica...These pictures do not do this bike justice... Christine Vaughn is an anchorage gal...she got this idea to build herself and her husband bikes....shortly after completeing the two...her Best Friend was diagnosed with Breast Cancer...Christine decided to contact the "Bike builders" and see if anyone would be willing to help fund the making of a chopper. One that could be "auctioned" for money for Breast cancer research...she told me that many of the "bike shope" "snubbed" her because she was a female....none had even asked to see what kind of work she does...untill Orange County Choppers. For those who have never heard of O.C. Choppers...it is a 'bike building" show on cable...they have made some pretty neat bikes...Eric and I watch it quite frequently...Well now we will have to watch it come May 14. May 14 is the day Christine will make her debut to the bike building world...The guy from O.C. Choppers liked her work so well that he gave her the usage of his garage and "crew" as well as helped "fund" the making of the "Breast Cancer" bike. The two of them also made a matching pink chopper for the Best Friend that started this endevor. Christine's first TV debut was last night at the local Moose Lodge. As the original bike had been given away already...they had been looking for someone to "produce" a "cheap" replica for the Alaska debut. Through the internet Christine and the Producers looked for "twisters and sculpturs." they wanted color, so the 4000 dollar "ice replica" was out. (we really need to look into ice carving in the winters here seems there is some profit in it with the out side "yuppies") They were turned down by several "artist"too, "...the balloons would not make it to AK", or "we do not do replicas." was the reponse they recieved. I should have thought to ask for any price quotes they had recieved from others... Christine's mom lives in Anchorage still, she saw "Marty the Moose" on TV (I have been trying to down load him here but...it only puts him at the top so too bad you cant see him.) Any way she "immidiatly " called "Wild About Balloons". Now Pam and Louis are people we met through Kimbra...they are long time business holders here in Anchorage and members of many "organized business groups", they no longer deal with Kimbra, but referred Barbra to us. So our moose finally brought us some business...seems many people ask about "the moose" and Pam and Louis love to tell them it was the "Twistin' Sisters" I agreed to do the bike on short notice because Josh and I have twisted several for ourselves in the past. Now these bikes do not travel very fast unless Hurricane force winds get hold of them...but...they are alot of fun to "detail" out. So Josh began designing the "rims" these rims have spokes that are the shape of the breast cancer ribbon...Josh worked hard and perfected the rims with in an hour...now if Nat had not popped the tire...we probably would have been done in 3 hours instead of 5. The engine was also Joshs design...I am trying to get him "involved" he is very artistic when he gets out of his "man" mode. When this bike made it's debut at the Moose lodge.... pulling into the parking lot I thought I was late...it was packed at the lodge...removing the bike from the back of the Blazer by myself was tough but drew alot of attention from passing motorists...they missed the green light hehe...it also drew alot of attention from the people walking into the lodge. Upon entering, the "Bull" at the door was rather rude when he asked for my "ticket"...I informed him that the bike did not go fast enough for one nor was it "parked" illegally as I was carrying it." He did not even crack a smile...but the "bull" did move aside and point me in the direction of a dinning room with a pink ribbon marking the door. This lodge has several "halls" that can be rented, so three events can go on at once here...and they were... walking into the dinning room a woman looked up from a table she was working on...she began to cry. This scarred me...I thought she was disappointed in the bike and I wanted to run for cover. Turns out it was Christine. She has not "seen" this bike in several months. And thought is was "exactly perfect"...she hugged me and cried...weird response, but okay...I hugged back. Her mother entered from a dinning room and saw the bike and began to cry too....next time I will take a box of kleenex...my short sleeve shirt can not take this moisture issue. Well the next person to come from the dinning room was followed by a cammerra crew. At this point I had unhooked myself from the tears and was in the process of "displaying" the bike. They had asked that I set it up on a "bar like" counter top in the middle of the room. Thanks to duct tape and pink ribbon the bike soon took on a "shrine" type look as it stood in the center of the room surrounded by pink Christmas lights. (where did they get pink ones?) I turned around and found that I was on cammerra. Knew I should have at least brushed my hair. (once again my mother was right.) I was handed a Pink and black hat...that has the "Wicked Women Choppers" logo on it and made an honorary member of Wicked Women Choppers. Pretty cool since the only chopper I have ever ridden would be the wood splitter that Shane and I used to have to chop wood with. After giving the producers of Orange County Choppers my business card and signing a release I gave credit where it was deserved. I wanted them to know that thanks to my sister I was able to complete the project on time...she is also the one responsible for finding a way for a bike made of balloons to stand on it's own. Thanks to Josh the "breast cancer" ribbons were integrated into the spokes and the "running gear" was somewhat realistic. I also made sure "Twistin' Sisters" was aknowledged for the donation of the balloons. (we have alot of back stock that needs used up, anyone want to learn to twist?) So once again I have made it into the "famous" circle...bet Kimbra would be proud. LOL. Not sure if it will ever "go big" but truthfully I do NOT think my hands or brain could keep up if it did. In the mean time I bask in the knowledge that once again I made something that people thought was AWSOME. MY GOAL----To have one of our sculptures on the front page of the ADN (if a 16 foot snow man can make it, why cant we??) any suggestions of what we should build?