BACKWOODS BASH

So what does a trip to the Backwoods Bash look like in 2023? An automotive fever dream! By noon, Heeter’s property is half full. By 2 p.m., it’s nearly impossible to find an empty spot in a jam-packed yard of traditional hot rods and customs,’60s and ‘70s street machines, boogie vans, lowriders, choppers, street bikes, tuners, lifted trucks, lowered trucks, and some vehicles that simply can’t be classified, like Brian Wolfe’s home-built hooptie that only slightly resembles the Model A it started life as.

Heeter’s shop space is cleared to make room for the potluck, door prizes, tire machine, and a single car rack in case anyone needs to bandage their ride back together after blowing the tires off. Behind the shop, local tattoo artist Alexander Barba can be found using a ratty ‘64 Impala as a canvas for graffiti art. This is a new tradition that began last year with a late model Mazda pickup and takes all afternoon for Barba to complete, mainly because his work space is engulfed in burnout smoke every few minutes.

For one day (and most of the night), one man’s backyard becomes a melting pot of car culture. The term “car” is used loosely for obvious reasons. The Backwoods Bash is where people from all walks of life enter as mostly strangers, but leave as friends. It’s a celebration of automotive counter culture that still manages to remain inclusive of all vehicle types, so long as they’re driven, not trailered there. Just don’t call it a car show.