ON THE COVER From the Ashes... By Shelly Horan, TRT Editor/Owner his month, we take a jaunt down <strong>Texas</strong> Highway 36, off I-10, southwest of Houston… to a little bar wellknown to the area, West of the Brazos in Damon. The bar’s been around a long time, but it was purchased from Curtis Maricle by “Cactus Jack” Graham in January 2011. Unfortunately, just a few months after Cactus Jack took over, the bar burned to the ground (May 2011) – forever losing the impressive neon sign over the bar, along with just about the rest of the whole building. While no suspicions of foul play are out there, the start of the fire is still officially on the books as “undetermined”. Before the bar could burn down, Cactus Jack had continued his annual <strong>April</strong> birthday party and crawfish boil, moving it to the new bar. This year, on <strong>April</strong> 27, he will host the 26th T Annual Cactus Jack’s Birthday Party and Crawfish Boil. They will have about 1,200 pounds of mudbugs and it’s not unusual to have some left for Sunday riders visiting this favorite haunt. Now, he’s not saying how old he is, but his daughter, Wendy Graham, concedes he will admit to 39. Not too long ago, before Wendy turned 29, he would claim 29… guess she caught up to him! After the bar burned, it reopened almost immediately with a temporary set up to serve adult beverages (it’s officially an “ice house”, serving beer and other beverages of less than 5% alcohol content). On the day after Thanksgiving that same year, they were pleased to reopen a whole new (and larger) building, complete with kitchen and all. Additionally, the front parking lot got an upgrade and most of it is now paved. They maintained the feel of the place… what I would call “casual comfort”. They maintained the wrap around porch, big comfy chairs on the front porch corners, outside picnic tables, original sign on front of the building, games, and plenty of good old fashioned hospitality inside. When asked how her father came to be owner of West of the Brazos, Wendy replied, “He’s always been a biker guy, often in the bars… including West of the Brazos. So when it became available, it was a good fit.” This isn’t the first bar Cactus Jack has owned… and probably won’t be his last! Page 42 H <strong>April</strong> <strong>2013</strong> Wendy actually moved from Michigan to help her father rebuild the infamous establishment. Today, Wendy has taken over the day-to-day activities, while Jack has become what she affectionately calls a “storage warrior”. But he can be found there pretty regularly. Wendy has help from friend, Veronica Smith, to whom she also gives credit for a big part of the rebuild. She also wants to acknowledge Donna Johnson (Cactus Jack’s fiancé) and Dearing “Doc” McAlpine, III for all the help they have provided her and her father in getting the bar back up and running. There are still some things to be done… but really, anyone who owns any kind of building/property – there’s always something that needs to be done! The new owners have also continued the reputation of West of the Brazos as supporting local rides and benefit events. In March, they hosted the 40th Annual Zodiac Run, organized by the San Jacinto High Rollers, benefitting the <strong>Texas</strong> Lions Camp for Kids. On <strong>April</strong> 20, they’ll host a trail ride, full of horses and wagons! The small bar is home to riders and cowboys alike! They want to invite everyone to return to hitting the West of the Brazos on their way around the area. It’s a great stop if you’re heading down to ride the Bluewater Highway, from Freeport to Galveston. The parking lot is big and the hamburgers are highly recommended. The kitchen is open 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. every day, with great weekday lunch specials. The bar remains open until 2:00 a.m. seven days a week. So, when you’re riding in the Houston area, be sure to mark your maps with West of the Brazos in the small town of Damon (don’t blink!). And… mark your calendars for <strong>April</strong> 27 to enjoy a big ole birthday bash! <strong>Thunder</strong><strong>Roads</strong><strong>Texas</strong>.com
<strong>Texas</strong>-based, <strong>Texas</strong>-focused, <strong>Texas</strong> PROUD! <strong>April</strong> <strong>2013</strong> H Page 43
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