01x06 - The Keys with Peter Fonda

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Ride with Norman Reedus". Aired: June 2016 to present.*
Watch/Buy Amazon  Merchandise


"Ride with Norman Reedus" follows The Walking Dead star and motorcycle enthusiast where he and a guest of the week travel across a different destination on a motorcycle while exploring the city's biker culture and checking out various locales.
Post Reply

01x06 - The Keys with Peter Fonda

Post by bunniefuu »

Reedus: I really like riding with a partner.

I like the rumble and then the following rumble.

Yeah, baby.

Hi, little Florida chicken.

Man: Girls called it "Jailbreak," and they came up with the idea they were in jail.

This gal was into free love.

What's wrong with that?

Norman Reedus!

"Walking Dead," whoo!

For the record, she just touched my butt.

Okay, guys, look this way.

I can't even catch my cat. No way I can catch a gator.

This is where, like, you k*ll somebody and dump their body.

I myself will eat anything that can eat me.

A sculpture you can ride.

A rocket ship.

Rocket ships.

How'd you get hooked up with Peter [bleep] Fonda?

I know, right?

(theme music playing)

(projector whirring)


Reedus: From the very first time I saw bikers on the big screen, I was hooked. The rebellion, the recklessness, the danger. Man, everything about those old biker films was cool. I wanted to be one of those guys. They rode hard and they lived free. But to me and an entire generation there was only one rider who stood out from the rest... the Easy Rider.

Today I'm stoked to be taking a ride through Florida with a motorcycle guru, Captain America himself, Peter Fonda. One of my all-time heroes.

Joe's Diner. Joe's Diner.

Very good food at Joe's Diner.

Reedus: Peter Fonda and I go back a couple years. We met filming the sequel to "The Boondock Saints." We talked about taking a ride through the Everglades and down into the Keys where Peter called home in the '70s.

Man: Good food.

Reedus: So we're meeting at the gateway to the Glades at one of his old spots.

How are you, buddy?

Pretty good, buddy. How about yourself?

Good to see you, man.

Good to see you.

Yeah. Yeah!

Good to see you, buddy.

There we go.

I'm taking a ride with Peter Fonda.

This is like a dream come true.

I'm taking a ride with Norman Reedus.

(laughs)

Reedus: Peter Fonda... this dude has lived one hell of an epic life. Son of Henry, brother of Jane, father of Bridget. He's been in the family business for over six decades. With over 100 credits to his name, Peter is a Hollywood legend. Best known for riding and starring in "Easy Rider." But to me, Peter's much more than an actor. If it weren't for Peter Fonda, for him, I might not have ever gotten on a bike in the first place.

The last time I saw you, you were falling through a glass window with two big a*t*matic pistols just sh**ting the hell out of me.

That's right. Actually, the first time we ever met...

I don't know if you remember, it was in Los Angeles.

I used to live up by the Hollywood sign.

I had an "Easy Rider" poster that was in my bathroom.

And I don't know, I think maybe you were filming a commercial up there.

I looked outside, and I heard all this noise, and I'm like, "Holy [bleep]. That's Peter Fonda."

And then you knocked on my door and asked if you could use our phone.

And I said, "Sure, but you have to sign this poster."

And I think you wrote, "Ride hard or stay home."

Is that your thing? Yeah, it was great.

Yeah, that's it.

Ride hard or stay home.

And I still have that poster to this day.

Oh, that's cool.

Yeah.

Are you from here? Is that correct?

Well, I used to have a place down in Key West from '74 through the early '80s.

I was sh**ting a movie in '74 called "92 in the Shade," and I ended up staying down there. When I was down there, Crosby, Stills and Nash were recording down in Miami, so I would drive up and hang with them in the recording booth and do claps or doo-wops or whatever in the background.

Have fun and listen to the music. I loved that.

I love your stories. Oh, I just rode down there and hung out with Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Absolutely.

I love it.

I came back once in '86 to see Jimmy Buffett and a friend of mine you'll meet down there Benjamin Bruce.

I'm excited to meet all your friends, to do this ride.

We'll meet some friends I'm sure.

You know, this is the first time I'll have been riding.

I drove a lot, but I never took a motorcycle down there.

Completely different on a motorcycle.

Yeah, you bet.

So this is gonna be my first time outside the cage.

I love it.

Want to check out the bikes?

Yeah.

Reedus: It's really cool. It's a super comfortable motorcycle. I'm riding a Triumph Tiger 800XC. With its 799cc inline-three engine, it's a perfect combination of power and torque for on and off road riding.

Plus it has all these very posh features.

Grip warmers, seat warmers front and back.

A seat warmer?

Yeah, and it rides like a dream.

What do you got over here?

Fonda: This is the Thunderbird Storm.

Reedus: Peter's Thunderbird Storm is a classic muscle cruiser. 1699cc with a parallel twin engine. It's pure rolling thunder.

It's low gravity. It's not rigid like the "Easy Rider" bike.

Can I sit on it?

Yeah, throw a leg over it. Don't worry about it.

Wow. This is like a Cadillac.

We'll call it a Coupe de Ville for the ride.

You know, I was actually born in Florida.

I think I lived here like three days or something.

I don't really know much about it, but I'm excited to get to the end of Key West.

Yeah, let's go. I'm gonna take you down this road.

I know these guys and they really are knowledgeable about the Glades.

And they're into motorcycles.

Perfect.

Okay, let's do it.

Cool.

All right, I'm following you.

(music playing)

Loving this.

Yeah.

I just like the idea of rolling through Florida with Peter Fonda.

Awesome.

(laughs)

Who's better on a motorcycle, you or Dennis Hopper?

Me.

I knew it.

Reedus: It's not every day you get to ride with one of your idols, so I'm taking full advantage. We're starting out in Naples on the western edge of the Everglades. We'll ride 120 miles through 1.5 million acres of the swampiest wetlands in America, ending up in Miami. Then we're taking the Overseas Highway passing through 1,700 coral and limestone islands that make up the Keys until we reach the southernmost point of the continental US, Key West.

This it?

This is it.

You gotta meet these guys.

("Mohawk" playing)

Reedus: It's been a while since Peter lived in Florida.

Hello, hello!

But he's kept in touch with the local bike scene here. Those places are always great for grabbing the best routes and must-see stops. Plus he tells me that this tiny shop is actually a world-class custom built mecca that deals exclusively in rare vintage Harleys.

Hey, guys.

Hey, Brian.

Tyler. Nice to meet you, dude.

You know everything about the Glades.

Reedus: Check out those grins. But who can blame them? If these brothers are anything like me...

Fonda: Isn't that a sweet one?

..."Easy Rider" was their Bible, too.


Tyler: We just built the chassis around it.

It's always turbo.


Fonda: All right.

This is a Harley?

That's the Liberator edition.

Fonda: The first time I've seen it.

Tyler: Harley did that in, like, '73 to '76, I think.

There was, like, 1,500 of them made so it's a pretty rare bike.

Reedus: Tell me about the name.

Tyler: It's after Tamiami Trails.

41, the road that goes, you know, from, like, Tampa to Miami through the swamp out there, through the Everglades.

Excellent.

You swamp ride it?

Yeah.

Do you get completely filthy?

Yeah, pretty much.

In my other job I'm filthy all the time.

Yeah.

Fonda: Oh, Norman, you're such a dirty actor.

This'll be my first ride across it.

Really?

I can't wait.

Yeah, it gorgeous out there.

Do you see alligators all the time when you ride?

They'll lay straight across it.

What do you do? Do you just pull up and wait for them to go?

Brian: We used to catch them growing up.

I can't even catch my cat. No way I can catch a gator.

You ever eaten alligator?

No.

You'll have to stop by Joanie's on 41.

They'll feed you some gator out there.

Can we please do that?

Why not?

Let's go eat some alligator.

We got to go check out a bike a little bit north of here, but we can make time to at least kinda show you guys out where Joanie's is out there.

Thanks, guys.

It's gonna be cool.

Except for the alligators.

You jump the gator, I'll jump the shark.

Done.

There you go. Just like the Fonz.

Let's do it.

Kick the tires and light the fires.

(motors start)

("Ride the Sky" playing)

(camera clicking)


Fonda: We're in the Glades now, mister.

♪ Lay my body in the grass ♪
♪ No one knows just where I'm at... ♪


In 1971, I took the western that I directed with Warren Oates and traveled around Europe.

I picked up a Mercedes 6.3, at that time the fastest sedan in the world.

You know, we were smoking pot and hash, going through Europe at 120-130 miles an hour on the Autobahn.

(Reedus laughs)

Fonda: Just screaming down the road. Loving every minute of it.

By the time I got to Munich, whoo, whoo.

You got to tell me some of those stories maybe when we're not miked up, you know what I mean?

♪ Ride the sky upon the way ♪
♪ I'm going to fly so high... ♪


Definitely looks like alligator territory to me.

Yeah, we're in Gator Alley.

These brothers better show us some alligators.

There's got to be alligators out in that.

Look at that. It goes on forever. There's probably bodies. This is where, like, you k*ll somebody and dump their body.

That's really a gruesome thing to be talking about like this.

Yeah, no, it's good. I like talking about it.

(laughs)

It's good to know.

Yeah.

They just waved us on. Later, man.

Reedus: The thrill of the open road. The promise of the next experience. That's what keeps you going. Riding keeps you young at heart. I mean, just look at Peter. He's done it all and he still can't stop exploring. Hopefully I'm gonna end up just like that.

And the name Lucky, is that because you're photographing naked models?

Want to swap? Trade bikes?

Yeah, let's do it.

"Walking Dead," whoo!

(people chatting)

Reedus: You must get a lot of bikers coming in.

Slap full of crap, I ain't gonna lie to you.

That's the reason that says biker parking only.

I do get some repeat customers, but most of them are just people that are driving by.

A lot of Harleys. A lot of bikers. Good people.

Do you ride as well?

I don't.

But I'm looking for a guy with a Harley, though, so if you know one, you send him to me 'cause I'm ready.

Actually, there's a guy back there in a white jacket right now.

I will take him.

He's been in lots of movies.

I will take him. I will go.

I guarantee it. Guarantee it.

Reedus: 40 miles into our ride to Miami on a two-lane straightaway surrounded by gators, Joanie's is hard to miss.

Look at this scary clown right here.

For 30 years, this swamp shack has been serving up big portions and even bigger personalities in the oldest existing building in the Everglades. It's authentic places like this that makes getting to know Peter's world that much easier.

Yeah, let's do it. Oh, oh, she touched my butt.

(laughing)

For the record, she just touched my butt.

Get in here. This is the photo right here.

Come on in.

Get in here.

(all laugh)

This man's got boobs all over him right now.

I hope you're warm.

Whoo-hoo!

All right, here. Have a seat.

I've been playing phone tag with Benjamin Curry Bruce.

Of Key West.

Okay.

Ernest Hemingway gave him the nickname of Dink.

Why?

'Cause he had a long schlong.

Oh, wow. No way.

He's a short guy, too.

So did you get in contact with this guy?

I'll catch him as soon as I get back to my phone.

Here we go, guys. I've got a swamp combo going your way.

Did she call this a swamp combo?

Swamp combo.

Yeah, swamp combo.

This is my first frog leg.

Huh-huh.

(laughs)

I'll try tartar first.

It does taste like chicken.

Let's do a gator bite.

Put some sauce in you.

I'm going au naturel.

What a fight, though. Do you get the gator and eat it, or does the gator get you and eat it?

I myself will eat anything that can eat me.

That's why I eat my gator meat.

It's savory. It's almost chicken and like calamari mixed together.

You know what I mean?

Fonda: That's a good call.

Lisa: That's a good call there.

Right?

Fonda: You working in your own cooking show?

My own cooking show, yeah. Anthony Bourdain, eat your heart out.

What do you suggest? What else on our way can we see some really wild stuff?

On the way to Key West.

Go up the road here, and go see Mr. Lucky Cole.

Lucky Cole?

Lucky Cole does our pictures that we have hanging on the hall and in the bathroom.

In the bathroom. Yeah.

Really?

Lisa: You've got to go see him.

Reedus: And the name Lucky, is that because he's constantly photographing naked people?

That's a good job right there, wouldn't it be, guys?

Mm-hmm.

Seems pretty lucky to me.

I believe it's about 30 miles up the road if I'm not mistaken.

Not bad.

Reedus: You know what? Miami can wait. It's about the journey, right?

Fonda: Excellent.

Let's go meet him.

Let's do that.

You need to.

Reedus: And in my experience, go where the locals tell you to go.

Thank you, sweetheart.

Thank you, gals.

Reedus: I'll tell you, I'm not that big a fan of the gator.

I wasn't going to say anything there, though.

All right. Let's go meet Lucky.

(laughs)

Reedus: 100 years ago, these wetlands attracted outcasts and outlaws and were considered the last frontier east of the Mississippi River. It's a spirit that still lives on today.

Fonda: When I was in college in the Midwest, I'd go out to this country club that my uncle belonged to

'cause it had a swimming pool, and the girl who was the lifeguard, all the boys said, "You got to watch out for her.

She's into free love."

And I thought, "Are they kidding?

Watch out for her?" [bleep]

I just went right for the gusto.

This gal was into free love? [bleep]. I loved it.

Yeah, you're like, "What's wrong with that?"

Reedus: I can see why Peter's always connected to this place. His laidback free spirit fits right in in the Glades.

Some of those pictures, I bet he's getting lucky.

(Fonda laughs)

Reedus: And Lucky's, you couldn't dream up a better place for Peter. Which is why I hope we find it soon.

I think this is it. We go in here.

Yeah, we're in this little driveway.

Hi, how are you?

Hey, guys.

You have a good ride?

Yeah, it was awesome.

Hi, I'm Norman. This is Peter.

Hi, Peter. I'm Lucky.

Lucky.

And this is my wife Maureen.

Maureen, Peter. Nice to meet you.

Pleasure to meet you.

This place is awesome.

Oh, I'm glad you like it.

I've ridden my motorcycle more in Florida than anywhere else.

There are so few little places like this left in the Everglades.

We get a lot of motorcycles.

We get a lot of different people.

This is just your compound art space.

Lucky: This is where I do most of my photography.

Reedus: I love it.

Go on up the steps if you want.

Yeah.

Now this is a series. I just set up these railings.

The girls called it Jailbreak, and they came up with the idea of doing something where it looked like they were in jail.

I love it.

How do you get your models?

They actually find us, and then it's word of mouth because somebody does it and says, "Look, this is where you got to go if you want to do something really different and unusual."

Peter, take it off. Let's go get behind the cage.

(laughs)

I want photos.

Do you board bikers here as well?

I have groups that will come and camp. All word of mouth.

Most campgrounds you go to, you have to go quiet at 10:00.

For the bikers, what they love, is they come here and keep the fire going all night. I don't care.

We try to make that kind of environment where it's just easy, lay back, enjoy yourself, nobody has to rush.

Your photos, they have this real antique, sort of voyeuristic thing going on there.

Thank you.


This is fantastic.

They found your bike from "Easy Rider."

My God, that's what happened to it.

There it is.

I thought Hopper sold it.

Lucky: There you go, there's a picture.

This is awesome. Who am I?

(Maureen laughs)

Look at the flag on that bike.

Look at this. Let me show you my addiction wall.

Every picture here is a photograph of Maureen starting the late '70s up until present day. She's a professional belly dancer.

That's Maureen.


Oh, yeah.

How did you guys meet?

I was washing my car in a bikini.

(laughter)

She had a brand-new fire engine red Camaro.

And I knew it was love at first sight.

Walked straight over. That was 40 years ago.

I had to.

Yeah, that's exactly how we met.

That's a great story.

Thanks for showing us around.

Maureen: Where you guys heading now?

Miami.

And then the keys.

Please come back again.

While you're getting suited up, I'll grab you a couple of business cards.

You know, I think I stole one out of your bathroom.

Oh, did you?

Is this you?

I got to tell you... this is on her 62 birthday. She's almost 65.

Wow.

Yeah, I know.

That's what I say every time I go to bed with her.

(both laugh)

If you get stopped along the way, tell 'em you just left Lucky Cole's place and they'll let you go.

Have a good night, everybody.

Have a good ride, brother.

Thank you, brother.

Reedus: Lucky and Maureen are good people. Only their kind of hospitality could turn a barren stretch of swampland into a biker destination. And for that, I'm sure anyone making the 120-mile ride is incredibly grateful. Day two... Miami. Last night we rode 50 miles cutting through the heart of the Everglades, the big Cypress National Preserve, before sprawling swampland turned into concrete jungle. Today, before hitting the road, I want to check out Miami. Most people know this town for its beaches and its nightclubs. But I'm here to see someone my friends have been raving about, an amazing artist who combines two of my favorite things... motorcycles and sculpture.

Hi, are you Bruce?

Yes, I am.

Nice to meet you. I'm Norman.

This is Max.

Max, I'm Peter.

Are you friends with Ponos?

Yes, I am.

That's awesome.

Very small world indeed.

Yeah, it is a small world.

I had your Captain America poster in my bedroom.

So did I.

Who didn't have that?

Bruce: So here we are. This was my sculpture studio, and now it's the motorcycle studio.

What a cool combination.

Bruce: Yeah.

Reedus: Building mostly from old Ducatis and Moto Guzzis, two of the oldest bike manufacturers in the world, Bruce combines parts from different bikes to create one-of-a-kind high-performing machines.

I have a set of magnesium wheels from a Ducati on that.

The rear shock is from an Indy car.

Max does all the wiring. We take 14 pounds of wires off the bike. Kind of a cool situation where we're able to mix and match. I never make two bikes the same.

Reedus: I love the board with the wheels on it. Can you show us the process of how you design a bike?

This is the top of the gas t*nk here.

This is the current seat height on what's here.

I have some guys that don't mind having their leg bent like this.

But then I have other guys, like me, that have had some surgeries, and I need to have a little bit less bend.

I could show you my right knee and my two titanium hips and my fused right ankle, you bet.

So I play around with seat height, you know, foot peg height, and you kind of back into the whole concept.

A rocket ship.

Rocket ships.

Wait till you ride it. You will dig it.

("The Cauldron" playing)

(motor revving)

Dude, let's ride.

♪ Hallelujah hallelujah ♪
♪ Pen ain't mightier than the sword anymore... ♪


Reedus: Even on busy Miami streets, I'm loving this ride.

Yeah, baby.

Bruce and his team have taken a minimalistic redesign approach to this 1995 Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport, giving it a sleek, more streamlined aesthetic than the original.

You want to swap? Just trade bikes?

Whenever you want.

Let's do it.

(horn honking)

(honks)

(laughs)

Good call.

Yeah, it's a little different.
Reedus: This is the same exact Guzzi as the one I just rode.

Yeah, baby.

It's just stripped of 140 pounds and given a rebuilt engine. Now a simple twist of the throttle creates a visceral experience like no other. Simply put, this bike hauls ass.

Man, this bike will just fly down the road.

Fonda: Oh, yeah, it looks like it could handle a lot.

It's got a good profile in the back.

Yeah?

Fonda: All these people around us are caught in cages.

Doesn't matter, though. We're on motorcycles.

We can go where we want.

Right?

You like the freedom?

I do, indeed.

Whoo-hoo.

They're gonna tear your bike apart.

(imitates g*nsh*t) That's crazy.

Eek.

Woman: Kind of love you. Not in a weird way.

Where the [bleep] are we?

(Fonda laughs)

Reedus: Before heading down into the keys, Peter and I found master motorcycle sculptor Bruce McQuiston outside Miami. He's known for his unique artistic approach to bike design. And lucky for us, we've been invited over to his home for lunch.

Come on in.

Fonda: Okay, Bruce.

Fonda: Look at these sculptures.

Reedus: Dude, this place is awesome.

Fonda: Isn't it? Man. This is great.

That's what you do with a fine art degree.

That and build motorcycles, of course.

I got to tell you, when we swapped bikes at that red light, you could feel the difference in the bikes.

Immediately.

Yeah.

We have some stone crab.

Stone crab is pretty traditionally linked to Florida.

And this is my Moto Studio stone crab cr*cker.

Reedus: You are too funny.

You know, I played around with the motion ratio to get it just right, because if you use a hammer, you squish 'em.

This ends up working pretty well.

(cracking)

Bruce: Yup. There we go.

This bit as well?

Poor crabby.

Bruce: Probably because it's a motorcycle grip, you immediately get the feel of it.

(imitates motorcycle)

(laughs)

This is so good. Oh, my God.

What inspires you? Like when you see something or hear something?

Well, I definitely appreciate sophisticated motorcycles, but it's the visceral nature that's going away, you know, in all modern motorcycles.

So part of what drives me is I want to feel like I'm connected to the mechanical essence of it, you know?

I had the opportunity to go through the Moto Guzzi Museum and the Ducati Museum in the same trip.

And, you know, you look at the early drawings of what these guys were thinking and how it evolved. I'd like to think that what I'm doing is still connected to that.

Well, if you make me a bike, you're gonna have to name it.

That's gonna take time. We were gonna name Max's bike Mad Max, but it needed a little more dirt.

What's the name again?

It's Quasimodo.

It's funny, he came up with the drawing at this bar.

He's like, "Yeah, this is what we're gonna do."

He starts drawing on a napkin.

How many of your bikes have been designed on a napkin with booze involved?

I think most all of them.

Really?

(laughter)

Right, right, right.

Reedus: You know, I'm glad I got the chance to meet Bruce. The dude is like a motorcycle Picasso, and the visionary work he's doing is pushing bike design into the 21st century. But now it's time to head down to the place Peter Fonda once called home. From Miami, it's 160 mile, island-hopping ride down US 1 until you end up in Key West, the end of the road.

This is really a sweet engine.

It's got a progressive linkage system.

Peter, my butt warmer has three different settings... hot, medium, lukewarm.

Yeah, I needed to know that, man.

(laughs)

Reedus: Hanging out with one of your idols is a lot like when you realize your parents are people just like you are. It's like a blinder's lifted and you see them as they really are. Yet they're all the more amazing because of it.

Let me put on my seat warmer, Peter.

I'm not mad at these grip warmers right now, either.

Feel the heat coming off my hands, you know what I'm saying?

I'm freezing my butt and you're talking about warm hands and warm ass.

[bleep] off and die.

(laughs)

Reedus: Are we close?

Yeah.

Key West, [bleep].

(music playing)

Announcer: Out to sea in an automobile on a road through the Atlantic Ocean. At the extreme corner of the United States, a new 100-mile highway will connect 25 islands that soon will be swarming with tourists and fishermen traveling to and from famous Key West.

Whoo! Yeah, baby.

Reedus: With nothing but two narrow lanes of pavement cutting between gorgeous panoramic ocean views, Seven Mile Bridge is an experience best served on a bike with the sea breeze in your face and the salt on your skin.

Smell the ocean.

It's so beautiful on this bridge.

It's just perfect.

It's perfect, yeah.

So beautiful on this bridge. The sun is so beautiful right here.

Reedus: You see, this is what riding bikes is all about. Simple moments that turn magical, and then they're gone.

(music playing)

But after two hours on these bridges, I'm ready to move on and hit the town.


Every couple of minutes, you can go over a bridge.

Are we close?

You can't see it yet.

Where the [bleep] are we right now?

(laughs)

Yeah, baby.

What'd you guys do back then here, like, for fun?

Here we would basically get wrecked.

Really?

(music playing)


This one?

Woman: I like that one better, too.

I'll take this one.

All right.

Hog's Breath.

Woman: Nice to meet you.

Have a good one, guys.

Eek. Can we try this one more time, Mr. Reedus?

Yeah.

Did that one come out good?

I live in New York. He lives in New York.

I'm from Long Island.

Oh, right on.

Yeah, a pleasure.

Name's Rico.

Norman.

I know that. (laughs)

Reedus: Key West has always drawn outsiders and artists. Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote... they all lived right here. I'm excited to learn about the history and the influences about this place that's inspired so many people I admire.

Let's go check out this cigar factory right here.

Fonda: It's open.

Reedus: And being only 90 miles from Cuba, a cigar shop seemed like the perfect place to start.

Hi. How are you?


Man: Good evening.

I'm Peter, this is Norman.

Nice to meet you. Hi.

It smells great in here.

How you doing? Danny.

How are you, sir? Norman.


Peter.

Pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Rodriguez Cigars.

What's going on right here?

These are cigars that we have pressed this morning.

Oh, wow.

Oh, that is slick.

Is this a family business?

Yeah, my grandfather began in this industry in central Cuba in 1947.

And we're currently the oldest cigar company in the Florida Keys.

Is this your grandfather on the wall?

Yes, that's the man right there.

Oh, that's cool.

And this is my grandmother back in here.

Hi. How are you?

Hi.

She comes on in from time to time to make sure that I'm doing a good job.

She's adorable.

Fonda: See how she's so precise with it, Norman?

She's definitely an artist.

She has the finger touch.

(speaks Spanish)

Come on over here.

Now work your way on the leaf.

There you go.

Reedus: This is twice today that we've... we met a motorcycle builder earlier that makes unique, one-of-a-kind motorcycles.

And now every cigar is a unique one-of-a-kind cigar, really.

Danny: It's an art. It is craftsmanship.

Yeah, this is not as easy as you'd think.

I like all these old tools and stuff.

Now with that, we're still not done.

Those cigars need to sit for approximately a year.

All right, we'll be back in a year.

(laughs)

That's nice.

Danny: Take care of yourselves, gentlemen.

It was a pleasure. You're lovely.

She's so sweet.

Pleasure to meet you.

Bye.

Num, num.

Let's go this way, man.

Yeah?

Yeah.

This area, has it always been the cool, hip...

All the time, yeah.

"Walking Dead," whoo! Oh, my God!

How are you, man? Nice to meet you, man.

Oh, my God! It's Daryl from "The Walking Dead."

I'm not [bleep] kidding you.

(laughs)

Whoo, I love it.

Daryl!

Yeah, hey. What's happening?

How are you, man? Nice to meet you.

Thank you so much for the work that you do.

I love it.

You're really awesome.

You're awesome.

Man: I'm a big fan.

Woman: I want a big hug.

Yeah, of course.

(laughing)

Why is it so foggy?

I don't know. I think it's...

Get in here.

Thank you, baby.

You're welcome.

I like photobombing.

I kind of love you. Not in a weird way.

Norman. That's Peter over there. Say hi to Peter.

Can we all get a picture?

Yeah, get over here.

All right I...

Daryl, we love you.

I love you, too.

He looks really confused.

I know.

Reedus: Yeah, that just happened. At least he got a good photo of himself.

That was hysterical.

I lived on a place called Von Phister Street.

And Tennessee Williams, he was a hell of a writer.

Great plays.

Of course. Yeah.

We went over to Tennessee's house, me and my ex-wife Becky, a couple of times.

Tennessee was very proud of the fact that he rolled joints, opium inside the marijuana.

That was my first opium joint.

Opium-marijuana joint rolled by Tennessee Williams?

Yeah, how about that.

(imitates g*nsh*t) That's crazy.

Isn't that neat?

That's crazy.

And he was very cool and very nice.

What happened after you smoked the opium-marijuana joint?

Do you remember?

I remember that we got back to our house.

But I'm not sure how.

(laughs)

I think we didn't come by bicycle.

We left the bicycles at Tennessee's place.

I think I would have just saved the joint forever.

Let me get your photo right here next to this thing.

Hold on one second.

I mean, does this get any better than this?

(laughs)

Yeah. Too good. Too good.

How'd you get hooked up with Peter [bleep] Fonda?

Where's my sh*t of tequila?

I wonder if this is illegal?

I hope it is.

There's a billion dead bugs stuck in my blood.

Oh, man, roosters.

Chickens and roosters, oh, my.

They used to be in Cuba, then they flew the coop.

You do not want to [bleep] with them.

Yo, don't hit a chicken.

Don't you dare.

They will tear your bike apart.

Those [bleep] have teeth and lips and they are mean.

(kissing) Come here, chicken.

Hi, little chicken.

Hi, little Florida chicken.

Hey. Hey.

What's your name? (kissing)

Come here.

(laughs)

(clucking)

Oh, why'd the chicken cross the road?

Hey.

Fine, be that way.

Jerk.

(crows)

Reedus: Last night, now that was a great time. Today, not so much. But I couldn't not go out with Peter Fonda. I mean, come on, the guy only knows one way to live. So today we're gonna go ahead and skip breakfast and go straight to lunch.

What's the special?

Hogfish sandwich is our specialty.

It's great.

Done.

I'll get that right in.

Can I have an ice tea as well?

And a sh*t of tequila.

Absolutely.

Whoa.

Reedus: I didn't even know there was a hogfish.

Fonda: This is very Key West.

Key West has its own flavor unlike any other.

Well, this is known as the Conch Republic.

Why?

Because they didn't have the Seven Mile Bridge in the 17 and 1800s.

You had to go by boat.

Oh, wow.

The Currys and the Bruces which ran the island... two families, they wanted to be their own country.

They were running cigarettes, rum, and everything else.

A bunch of pirates down here.

This is why my friend, who we'll meet...

Dink?

Benjamin Curry Bruce.

Oh, he's one of the two families.

Yeah, he's the progeny of both families coming together.

Two k*ller hogfish sandwiches.

All right. Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Look at this thing. That's insane.

I can't even fit this in my mouth. This is nuts.

See?

That's delicious.

What was your time like here in Key West?

I bet you could pretty much do anything back then.

From what we witnessed last night, I still think we can do practically anything.

Yeah, all those crazy people jumping out of bars and stuff.

All calling you Daryl.

Yeah, yeah.

His name is Norman Reedus.

My relatives are calling me Daryl now.

Where's my sh*t of tequila?

No respect anymore.

A fool. A Florida fool.

How's it going? Where you guys headed?

We're here.

Fonda: Best answer.

Woman: How you doing?

Reedus: Hi.

How did you get hooked up with Peter Fonda?

I know, right?

It's Peter [bleep] Fonda.

I saw him first, and then I was like, "Oh, that's Norman."

We're, like, traveling around Florida and just meeting people and hearing stories.

Nice.

It's fun.

("Randy's Blues" playing)

♪ Well, you're been tired all week ♪
♪ And you've been waiting for sleep ♪
♪ But you sit up all night ♪
♪ Up all night ♪
♪ Anyway, anyway ♪
♪ Well, I've been waiting for the man ♪
♪ But he don't care... ♪


Reedus: After two days and 330 miles on the road, there's only one place left to go... mile marker 0.

Fonda: This is the southernmost part of the continental US.

I love it.


Reedus: And this old pier finally marks the end of the road.

This is beautiful. Look at that big cruiser over there.

I wonder if this is illegal.

I hope it is.

Fonda: Mr. D. There he is.

Glad you got down here. Sorry the weather isn't so pretty as it could be.

No, it's still beautiful here.

Mr. Reedus, my good buddy here, the king of Conch City.

Reedus: Peter and Dink go back to the '70s when Peter made this place his home. Dink spent much of his life in Key West. His father was Hemingway's right hand man, and his family's roots to this island are strong.

Peter was telling me about that you were the two originating families down here.

Since before the 1800s. A lot of history in Key West.

A lot of, you know.

When was the last time you guys hung out?

Montana. A few years ago, though.

There was a spot you used to tell me you used to go and fly kites from.

This is it. I'd come out here with my stepson, Thomas, fishing and flying kites.

Absolutely.

Thomas and I were only flying old-time fashioned paper kites.

But it was fun. I mean, he loved coming out.

Reedus: For Peter, this place is a reminder of a time when his kids were just kids and a place where he wasn't a counterculture rebel, but simply a dad. And that's something I can relate to. It's a constant struggle to find a balance that works. Today or back when Peter was my age, it doesn't matter. Back then, I imagine, he looked just as cool with a kite in the sky as he did with his hand on the throttle. Coming back here 40 years later, only a lifelong friend like Dink would know exactly what to bring.

Dink: You know, there's a law that you can't put them up too high because the airport's right over here.

Don't knock down a plane.

(plane passing)

See, you almost got it.

You fish off this pier?

There's bait here in that bag.

Oh, there is? I've never fished with a squid.

Uh. Back up. I'm slinging squid.

You get over there.

The birds are looking at it.


The birds are after my squid. Want to join me?

All right.

The old men of the sea here.

Yeah, right?

Fonda: Let's go get a drink.

Dink: Okay.

Reedus: Dink, let's get a drink.

Here we go.

You're driving out with a kite attached to you.

(laughs)

This is too funny.

Whoo-hoo!

(music playing)

Dear, can we get two more Dinks, please?

You got it.

Thank you.

Two more Dinks.

Matusalem rum from the Cuban formula and ginger ale.

This is the bottle that they allow me to have myself.

You have your own bottle over here?

My dad worked for Hemingway from 1936 until he d*ed.

And he was his closest friend. So they don't let me buy a drink.

Reedus: Can we toast to our ride, our journey?

We finally made it down here.

Here we are.

Yeah, it was a beautiful ride.

The end of the ride here in Cayo Hueso.

To Cayo Hueso.

Dink's known me for forever.

Do you remember I came in in '74...

With two cats and a girlfriend.

...with two cats and a girlfriend and that silver BMW 3.0 CS.

Yeah, I liked that.

How has it changed, this area?

It wasn't so many people.

You could see all the old conch houses, and they were great.

There was no traffic then, and bicycling was really the way to go.

It was hysterical.

What got you into motorcycles to begin with?

Well, I liked the idea, and knew it would really freak my father out.

Oh, really? Was your dad, like, just totally against it?

Well, yeah, but once I was 21, screw it.

Yeah, yeah.

But, you know what? Since then, I've enjoyed...

I've ridden a lot off highways.

You know, just cruising.

It's great.

Bugs everywhere eating up the leather. I loved it.

Reedus: I have a road like that in Georgia.

When I'm done on set, there's one road, it's a perfect tunnel of trees.

And the light is so perfect through there.

And the temperature changes to a perfect temperature as soon as you enter it.

It's like it's a magical, magical road.

I'll have blood all over my... like, fake blood all over my hands and arms and my neck and everything else, and I'll be riding like that, and by the time I get to my house, there's a billion dead bugs, like, stuck all in my blood.

It's disgusting.

(laughing)

Yeah.

I really like riding with a partner.

I like the rumble and then the following rumble.

I like the rumble around me, you know?

I think it's nice.

Yeah, absolutely right.

And, you know, going over the Seven Mile Bridge, I mean, the sun was right in my face, setting.

Fonda: Oh, it was beautiful.

It was so pretty. And a little two-lane road, but sometimes, like, a giant truck would fly by, and it would wake me up, 'cause I was just so lost looking around at the ocean and the sunset and the breeze going through me. You know? Like, the breeze and the smell and the ocean air down here is just magical.


If you're riding in traffic, you don't get that sh*t.

You're actually out in the air and you're not in a cage.

So relaxed. I love riding.

'Cause it forces focus, and I need that.

Right.

And once you get into that thing of focus, and you get easy with it, then you can actually look around and see what there is.

Yeah. Yeah.

Reedus: You know, it's crazy how some things work out. Growing up, I wanted to be Peter Fonda in "Easy Rider," and these last few days, I got the next best thing.

Reedus: I don't think I've ever met anyone that, like, the whole motto of "live free and ride fast" fits better than you.

I mean, like, it's like it was coined for you.

Fonda: Ride hard or stay home.

Reedus: Yup. It's been such a joy you showing me your Key West, I have to tell you.

Thank you for doing this.


Fonda: Oh, hey, no.

It's been great for me.

(music playing)

I like Florida. I get why a lot of people come here and retire.

Retirement to me is a dirty word.

(laughs) I want your life, Peter.

Reedus: They say you shouldn't spend too much time with your heroes. I guess I lucked out. Peter Fonda is cooler in person than I ever wanted him to be and one hell of a co-rider. Life is a journey. It's not about where you end up. It's how you get there and who you choose to ride with. That's what matters. That's what riding with Peter Fonda has taught me. And the best part of riding to Key West is that, well, there's only one way out.
Post Reply