Death might not stop "Wild" Bill Byrne from going
to Sturgis, but his sons might.
Estranged brothers Mike and Kyle Byrne have five days and
thousands of miles to cover to bring their dad's ashes to the annual bike rally
in Sturgis, South Dakota. If they can survive the road, then they just might
honor Bill's last request...unless they kill one another first in, “Ashes and
Asphalt” by Trevor Halloway.
Purchase:
Please be sure to check out my interview with "Wild" Bill Byrne himself!
What first drew you into motorcycle riding?
My old man took me one weekend to see "The Wild Ones." He bought a second hand bike, which we both worked on. Pop rode it every chance he got and he taught me the ins and outs. Learned how to fix an engine before I got to high school. I found a few like-minded folks and rode with them…using Dad's bike for a month before he found out!
My old man took me one weekend to see "The Wild Ones." He bought a second hand bike, which we both worked on. Pop rode it every chance he got and he taught me the ins and outs. Learned how to fix an engine before I got to high school. I found a few like-minded folks and rode with them…using Dad's bike for a month before he found out!
What were Michael and Kyle like as kids? Are they still the same now or are they different?
Mikey's a lot like his mom. Does a lot of thinking…sometimes too much. He's got a bit of a free spirit in him, which I had tried to instill. Kyle takes more after me, for better or worse. We're both stubborn and think we know what's right.
What is the wildest thing that has happened to you at Sturgis?
Waking up in the woods, wearing only a red trucker hat and holding a bottle of Jim Bean. I'd go into further detail, but there might be kids reading this.
If there is one lesson that you hoped your sons learned from their journey to Sturgis, what would it be?
Trust your family. They'll be there to bail you out when everyone else drops out. You might get frustrated with them, but in the end…family is all you got.
Do you have any regrets about the way you raised your sons? If so, what would you have done differently?
There are always things you wish you had done differently. I had a time raising them after their mother died and if anything, I would've spent more time with them. I would've taught Mikey to be more adventurous and Kyle to hit the books more. But they did alright for themselves.
Tell us why they call you “Wild Bill”.
Trevor wrote the reason why in his book. You gotta buy it to find out.
If you had lived to go to Sturgis another year, what would your time there have been like?
More of the same probably (laughs). You gotta grab life and live it, else you wind up in an urn with plenty of regrets.
Why is Charlie your best friend?
Charlie's bailed me out of more than a few scrapes and I did the same for him. We've known each other since he was in high school and hanging around with the old crew.
What would you tell your sons if you were still alive?
What in the hell am I doing in this urn! (laughs). I'd remind them that blood is thicker than water.
What one myth about bikers isn’t true?
Not every biker is a 1%er…and even some of them aren't 1%ers (just ask Mr. Queen)
What is biker Heaven like?
You've heard the term, 'milk and honey'? It's more like 'beer and honies'! Thought in death did me and the old lady part, we're still together up here. Every day we ride and every night we…listen to some rocking tunes.
About the Author
My name is Robert Taylor, but I write under the nom de
plume, Trevor Halloway…even if Amazon and a few other venues misspell the
name. I wrote “Ashes and Asphalt” due to
my love of the motorcycle world and used family lore to help shape the story.
My father, uncle, and aunt were enthusiasts, though I have yet to earn a license.
The book has recently won two awards. The most recent one
was from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. I earned a merit
award under the category, Family and Relationships.
