Profiles

Profile on Chuck Holloway

If someone mentions Chuck Holloway, you may not know who they are talking about. If someone says: "Hey don't you know Crusty?" You may not know who he is. But chances are if you see his picture and you have anything to do with motorcycles. You will know who he is!

His long white hair and long white beard are a definite giveaway. His love for motorcycling is almost just as obvious. He has been riding since 1958, as a 16 year old boy in Fort Worth Texas. His first bike was actually a motorized bicycle that he built himself in the backyard. He liked it so much, later that year he purchased his first motorcycle, a 1951 Harley Davidson for $100.

Shortly thereafter, he left Texas courtesy of the United States Air Force and served 8 years, including a tour in Korea. After the Air Force, he wound up in California on a civil service job, where his oldest daughter was born. A few years later, after a divorce, he decided to take a vacation to visit a brother in Florida. He remembered a friend that had lived in California but had gone back home to Georgia and he decided to stop by for a visit. His visit lasted a little longer than he anticipated as he met Ann, the sister of his friend. Now 37 years, two children and 9 grandchildren later, he is still in Georgia and loving life.

His career has ranged from electrical contractor to manufacturing foreman to receiving at a nearby distribution center. He even tried to go back to Texas for a while, and it was during that 9 year period that he was raising kids and building a career that he hung up his helmet for a while. But the job, Ann's family and South Georgia called him home and he returned to our area and to biking

After retiring from Target Distribution Center in Tifton, he decided to buy a small shop in Nashville and enjoy life. Special Times Unlimited has been in business for two years and has become a mainstay in Nashville for second hand furniture and collectibles. Crusty's love for motorcycles is apparent as you walk around in the shop, he has an entire section devoted to biker leather and accessories.

Unfortunately, health issues are preventing Ann from riding with her sweetheart of 37 years, but Crusty rides whenever he can. He divides his time between a 1982 Harley Davidson Shovelhead that he has had for 10 years, and a 1994 Dyna Wide Glide. He is especially proud of the new custom paint job he recently added to his Shovelhead. Biking is not a weekend thing to Crusty - it is a way of life. A messed up knee from one crash and a damaged kidney from another, are the main reasons why Crusty feels that today's riders need to take the time to learn how to ride, and to learn more about their bikes. "You can't just jump on a bike and expect to be able to handle difficult situations right away" Both of his accidents were ultimately caused by another inexperienced rider not knowing how to handle his bike. His advice to the new rider -

“always be aware of your surrounding and always have an escape route in your mind, just in case the unexpected happens”