Extreme Fan Page
Even More Tattoos06 December 2006 Team BIGFOOT's recent trip to Indianapolis, Indiana for the 4 Wheel Drive Jamboree brought us another gentleman with BIGFOOT permanently engraved in his skin. Yes, it's another BIGFOOT tattoo, forever placed on the arm of an awesome BIGFOOT fan! - Click on images below for large version -
Todd Schmoldt is the character that has this great tattoo of the original BIGFOOT artwork. Todd also has a great looking 4x4, with an American pride them. There is even a tribute to the people of 9/11 on it (not pictured). Bob Chandler signed the truck for him too. Thanks to Todd for letting us take a picture of his tattoo and truck. BIGFOOT Holds the Key30 November 2005 Jared has a rare birth defect — he
suffered a stroke while inside his mother’s womb, which left his brain
underdeveloped. Surprised that Jared lived past the age of two weeks,
doctors told his family to take him home and love him, but they didn’t
expect them to have much time. Jared is now 22-years old, though he
relates to people the way most preschoolers would. He suffers frequent
seizures, but his family somehow discovered that the sound of BIGFOOT’s
motor lessened their severity. And the voice of Jared’s BIGFOOT friends
over the phone has actually helped talk him out of his seizures. So it’s
no surprise that nearly every inch of Jared’s rooms
(one upstairs and one down) – in fact much of the Aldrich home
— is covered with BIGFOOT memorabilia. - Click on images below for large version -
You would think that a collection is
complete when it includes all this along with puzzles, games, clocks,
radios, can and bottle coolies, pennants, signs, buttons, kites, and tote
bags. But Jared’s mom says that she and Jared are on the Internet every
day looking for more. She wrote in a recent e-mail … “It's great if you put Jared on
the Extreme Fan Page and OK if you don't. I get torn about that kind
of stuff. But it would be nice to think someone might be enriched by
his life and touched to make their life or someone else's life better.
I'd like to start a foundation in Jared's name and help other
families with kids with special needs - to use the trucks as a help to
those kids - the way it’s helped Jared's life be full and happy.
Not everyone is as lucky as us, to find the key to his brain and help him
fight for life. I wish I was rich and could spread it around.
But, a lot of people don't "buy" into the whole truck thing -
but it's true. It's been a miracle in our lives.” I’d like to add that this fan thing works both ways. Jared might be BIGFOOT’s biggest fan, but we here at BIGFOOT are some of Jared’s biggest fans. Follow this link to learn more about Jared: [-Click Here-]Also, follow this link for an earlier "Extreme" story on Jared: [-Click Here-]More Tattoos- Click on images below for large version -
01 August 2005 - These tattoos are from a gentleman that came by the BIGFOOT store in St. Louis, MO, over the week of the 25th of July. This is currently the 3rd person that we know of that has actual BIGFOOT tattoo (see previous updates below). Notice the old style BIGFOOT and the "other" monster truck. This is a die-hard monster truck fan! "Old Hat"- Click
on image below for large version - 20 July 2005 - This picture was taken in Bloomsburg, PA at the 4-Wheel Drive Jamboree. This is actually a friend/employee of the Black Stallion/Vaters monster truck camp. The BIGFOOT hat, as you can see is very old and very run down. The BIGFOOT logo on the front can barely be read. It appeared to have oil, dirt, grease, and just about every other foreign substance on it. Bob Chandler talked to him at the event and gave him a new BIGFOOT hat. Hopefully he retires this one, but if you are going to wear out an old hat, it may as well be a BIGFOOT one! BIGFOOT Art- Click on images below for large version -
The picture above was drawn by a young lady from Salem, Virginia. Rick Long, the driver of BIGFOOT 8, and Jim Kramer were there doing a show and were approached by Jessica Dess. She asked Rick and Jim to sign the drawing for her, which they did. The young lady ended up giving the drawing to them as a gift. A VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR A VERY SPECIAL FANSometimes the line between fan and family is almost invisible in the monster truck world. Such is the case with the Aldrich family of Mantua, Ohio. So it was only fitting that Jared Aldrich celebrate his 22nd birthday with his monster truck family at the Special Events Jamboree in Canfield, Ohio, on Saturday, July 24.
Following the days’
many 4-wheel drive events, the Aldrich family headed back to the pit area
to visit their long-time BIGFOOT friends and their new-found Big
Dawg friends. But they found more than monster trucks and trailers
waiting for them... - Click on images below for large version -
Surprise! Jared and his family were greeted with flying Silly String,
streamers, a special birthday banner that was custom-made by Vinyl Images
(one of Big Dawg’s
sponsors) and, of course, a birthday cake decorated with Jared’s two
favorite trucks. Life-long disabilities and health issues make each one of Jared’s birthdays an extra-special reason to celebrate. This year he celebrated with BIGFOOT friends Bob Chandler and son Bob C; Ann (Chandler) Trent and her husband Bob Trent; engine man John Peterson; BIGFOOT driver Dan Runte and his girlfriend Mindy; and former BIGFOOT driver Eric Tack. Also joining the celebration were Big Dawg owners Doug and Brenda Noelke (who coordinated the whole surprise party). Although most people wouldn’t describe the roar of a monster truck motor as soothing, Jared’s devoted family has actually used that sound on videotape to bring Jared out of seizures. And they spend countless hours searching e-bay for BIGFOOT-related goodies to use as rewards and incentives to encourage Jared’s everyday activities. So they were very excited to find Jared’s two favorite trucks fighting for the ProMT Points Series lead in Canfield. - Click on images below for large version -
Prior to Saturday’s
race, Doug Noelke in Big
Dawg was in first place. But Dan Runte’s win
in BIGFOOT on Saturday put the two in a first-place tie, and following
Sunday’s race, Runte and BIGFOOT took the lead. It’s no wonder Jared
was overheard several times during the celebration saying, “Mom, I’m
happy, Mom.”
Happy Birthday, buddy! Hang in there! Follow this link to
learn more about Jared: [-Click Here-]
So You Think Being a Monster Truck Driver Is Easy?By Robert B. Chandler, Edited by Julie Kramer Some people look at monster truck drivers and believe: “What a life! All they do is drive monster trucks in a show for a few minutes, sign some autographs, and they’re done! I wish my job was that easy!” Five monster truck fans may take exception to that after having competed for a job as BIGFOOT® driver on TLC’s new elimination-style reality show “Help Wanted,” which premiered on July 15, 2004. Prior to each event, a BIGFOOT driver first has the monstrous task of cleaning his hauler, trailer and monster truck. If he’s lucky, he is at the BIGFOOT shop where the cleaning job can be done with excellent equipment and ample space. Sometimes, however, this must be done on the road between events, battling the elements and using limited facilities to remove everything from red Georgia clay to gooey mud and everything in between. If the driver has the misfortune of hauling BIGFOOT on an open trailer, there’s also road grime and bugs to contend with. - Click on images below for large version -
Once everything is clean, BIGFOOT and all of its supporting equipment must be checked and packed away in just the right spot in order to travel safely. Of course the driver needs to pack his own suitcase, but he also needs to pack souvenirs for BIGFOOT’s fans along with tools and spare parts for emergency repairs. BIGFOOT’s special fuel must be packed away very carefully — a quick stop at the local self-service pump won’t satisfy BIGFOOT. Around the block or around the world, some things are the same every trip. The driver needs to double-check his paperwork and verify directions to the event. How long will it take? How much time should he allow for weather conditions and road construction? Some trips are short and drivers are gone for only a few days while other times they can be gone as long as three months! Occasionally drivers must travel from one end of the continental Unites States to the other all in one trip, and the last few miles can sometimes be the most difficult. Drivers may have to navigate tight turns, washed out roads and traffic jams. Press conferences, promotional displays and autograph sessions are frequently held prior to an event and usually mean leaving home at least a day early. Set up the truck at the display location … tear down … pack up and drive to the event … then set up again. Loading and unloading the truck and changing the tires can be a major job unless you really know what you are doing. Drivers usually spend only about half an hour changing tires, but when fans want to help, it may take over an hour. After the first elimination on “Help Wanted,” the four remaining applicants worked together to change BIGFOOT’s 850-pound tires and agreed it was nothing like changing tires on a Honda. It took the four applicants almost an hour just to change 3 tires! - Click on images below for large version -
An actual monster truck event can be anything from a parking lot display, car crush, exhibition, race, or parade, to a spectacular stunt for movies or television. To take a race as an example, drivers must often spend hours after — and sometimes during — the race to make repairs. Common repairs include changing a transmission or transfer case gears, adjusting the injection configuration or replacing a driveshaft or safety guard, not to mention topping off fuel. Less common problems are blown engines and broken axles or other driveline components. So you think you want to be a monster truck driver? Add to that job description a detailer, an over-the-road trucker, a public relations agent, a performer, a race driver, a mechanic — and throw in a secretary and bookkeeper for good measure. Sounds easy … right? As “Help Wanted” applicant Alain of Plantation, Fla., says, “It’s a lot harder than it looks!” BIGFOOT For Life - Tattoos- Click on images below for large version -
"Monster Me"(A poem about BIGFOOT and monster trucks.)
Submitted by Katelin White of Sunbury, PA. Poem from Giant Children, Brod Bagert, Dial Books for Young Readers. 2001.Julie Kramer IntroAllow me to introduce myself and share a little history with you. My name is Julie Kramer, and I’ll be bringing you future BIGFOOT® extreme news, notes and stories for this new web page. I’ve been married to BIGFOOT Vice President of Operations and former driver Jim Kramer for 28 years, and have been involved with BIGFOOT since its infancy. As any true BIGFOOT fan knows, Bob and Marilyn Chandler, together with their friend and neighbor, Jim Kramer, opened Midwest Four-Wheel Drive Center in Ferguson, MO in the early 1970s. - Click on images below for large version -
Jim and I were dating at the time — dates that frequently involved truck pulling, mud runs, motorcycle hill climbing and sometimes all-night snowplowing. After nearly seven years of dating, Jim and I were married May 22, 1976, which is, coincidentally, Bob and Marilyn’s wedding anniversary. After a year of marriage, Jim sold his interest in Midwest 4WD back to Bob and Marilyn so we could buy our first home. We maintained our friendship with the Chandlers, and Jim and Bob continued to play with their trucks and motorcycles. As the Chandlers’ truck and business grew in size, the public’s interest also seemed to grow. Jim left his job as a construction equipment mechanic in 1982 and returned to the 4-wheel drive business fulltime, showing Chandler’s BIGFOOT to fans of the yet-to-be-named monster truck industry. Jim frequently took our little girl Katie and me on those BIGFOOT trips, traveling in a motor home with BIGFOOT behind us on an open trailer. (I’ll never forget watching the family who pulled alongside us on the highway and pointed their Polaroid camera out the window to get a picture of BIGFOOT. They snapped instant pictures that not only flew out the front of their Polaroid, they flew right down the highway!) The early ‘80s were some very special times as we traveled across the country with various BIGFOOT crew members (Ken Koelling, George “Bubba” Link, Mike Todt, Jim “Dufus” Conway, “Billy Bob” Candela, Ron Breitweiser and Rich Hooser to name a few.) We covered a lot of miles (San Diego to Tampa to Toronto on consecutive weekends) and met some wonderful people. - Click on images below for large version -
By 1985, BIGFOOT had moved to its current home after a few years near the airport. Donna Purcell, Ann Chandler and I used to pack novelties, handle mail orders and answer fan letters. Then Katie started kindergarten, and our son Rusty was approaching his first birthday. My BIGFOOT days had all but stopped. I was about to become a full-time, stay-at-home mom. I guess I resented being “grounded.” As soon as Jim left town, I went shopping. As time passed, my purchases grew — first it was jewelry, then furniture and finally a Corvette. I always teased Jim that one day he would come home to find a sign in the window: We’ve moved. Come visit us at our new location. I really love to travel, but I had to become selective of my BIGFOOT trips and hold out for the special ones — Australia, England, Hawaii, New Orleans and an occasional trip to Las Vegas. I was usually at home with the kids while Jim was on the road — often two or three weeks at a time. That’s when we lived according to Murphy’s Law: If something could go wrong, it did. While Jim was in sunny Southern California, the kids and I were back home in Illinois with a record-setting 5” ice storm … or the car wouldn’t start … or the chimney was blocked, and the house filled with smoke … or Russ broke his hand. But Jim and I would talk things out over the phone, and my parents were always there to help out. Here we are decades later. Our daughter has finished college and married Micah, whom she met when they worked together at BIGFOOT. Our son has finished his first year of college, and no, he’s not following in Dad’s footsteps. Russ is in a band and is interested in music production. Jim is now godfather to one of Bob and Marilyn’s grandchildren (he became godfather to their daughter Penny back in 1971). I turn on the television, and it’s not unusual to see BIGFOOT and Jim. And to think, this all started with a couple of friends playing with their trucks. Jeff Halliday - An EXTREME BIGFOOT Fanby
Julie Kramer Jeff Halliday of the Detroit area has been a big fan of BIGFOOT for more than 20years. He has an extensive collection of memorabilia to prove it and some interesting ideas to bring BIGFOOT fans together. Halliday’s interest dates back to the 1980s when he saw BIGFOOT in the movie “Take This Job and Shove It,” in 4-Wheeler magazine, and on television’s “That’s Incredible.” Jeff recalls, “When Bob did his first car crush at the Pontiac Silver Dome, I was one of the thousands snapping photos.” Halliday was hooked — he began collecting anything and everything related to BIGFOOT. BIGFOOT
is the “coolest, biggest and baddest truck ever” according to Halliday,
but he says his interest got pushed to the back burner during the 1990’s
as he got married and started a family. But the love of BIGFOOT still
simmered for this family man. “Next to being a father of four, Bob
Chandler and his BIGFOOT are just awesome; these two together make my life
more enjoyable.” The flame rekindled in May of 1998 when Halliday bought
his first pieces of a BIGFOOT truck — the hood from Dan Runte’s truck,
signed by Runte, and the rear cab spoiler. Items in Jeff’s collection now number around 700 pieces, not counting the doubles and triples of toys, photos, posters and collectibles he has stored away. His favorite pieces include the one-of-a-kind pieces like the axle shaft he received from Bob Chandler himself. Jeff recalls a visit to the BIGFOOT shop — “I was talking with Jim Kramer and Bob Chandler when Chandler walked away for a few minutes. He came back holding a piece of an axle shaft, and I thought he had it to discuss something with Jim; but no, he asked me if I knew what it was. I said it looked to be a snapped axle shaft. Bob said it was from the front axle of BIGFOOT 1 and he didn’t think I had one of these in my collection until now. When Bob handed that axle to me, it was like being handed the Olympic torch!” Another favorite is a door that is signed by Chandler and hangs in Halliday’s living room. - Click on images below for large version -
There are those who suggest Jeff sell his collection to see how much money it could bring. “They are the ones who just don’t get it,” he says. “People collect everything from Tiffany lamps to baseball cards. I collect BIGFOOT.” He adds, “My collecting BIGFOOT is not just for me, it’s for my kids and in some way pays homage to Bob Chandler, BIGFOOT and those behind the BIGFOOT phenomenon.” Halliday would like to add to his collection and someday have it in a museum to proudly display for all who would like to see. In the meantime, he wants to thank everyone at BIGFOOT, and those who are not, that have helped him with his collection. Jeff would also like to see a special Web site where fans can buy, sell and trade their treasures with other BIGFOOT collectors. “My idea is to find others who share in collecting BIGFOOT and learn their stories. We could have our own version of e-bay so people know what they are buying is a real BIGFOOT piece and not something made up because someone had an old clock, a piece of wood and a picture of BIGFOOT. Collectors could learn what’s hot and what’s not or what new collectibles are due out and where they can be found. Some at Wal-Mart, some at the home of BIGFOOT, and some out of my garage — just kidding,” says Jeff. “Out of the back of my truck — kidding again.” Down the line, Jeff envisions a BIGFOOT convention. “I don’t think it will be like a Star Trek or KISS convention, but who knows,” he ponders. “Some people might dress up. You know, a doctor by day and Jim Kramer or Gene Simmons on the weekend.” “Beam me up, Bob.” That’s what we call an extreme
BIGFOOT Fan! Remember, if you think that you have something you think qualifies you as an EXTREME BIGFOOT FAN send your submissions to CLICK HERE, and, if approved, it may be posted on this page. BIGFOOT 4X4, Inc. reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of any submission and reserves the right to add, delete, edit, etc. any submission it decides to post.
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