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Stinky Cigar Truck
After years of driving full size "company trucks" in the construction management business, I was working as a freelance consultant and decided to buy my own full size pickup. I ordered the truck from the factory with all the equipment needed for my use. My boys were in Junior High and very active in Boy Scouts.

Upon delivery in May of 2000, I took the brand new GMC pickup in for tires, rims and a little lift for the suspension. Then, I drove right over to the paint shop for some custom striping. Russ Gerner is a locally renowned automotive artist who had been doing our company trucks for years. Russ and I walked around the Meadow Green truck as I described a tasteful gold stripe trapped in a red pinstripe that would appear to flap in the air stream and break up into confetti with cigars and French fries.
The truck arrived on Good Friday. I had given up cigars for that Lent season. The French fries were what my wife (Geneta) had given up for Lent. Russ Gerner is a 4th generation sign painter who has become renowned for his custom motorcycles, boats, show-cars and airplanes. Russ said he would need the truck for at least 5 days. So? After two weeks, I just couldn't wait. I stopped by and found him putting the finishing touches on the hand-painted cigar bands. I was shocked! A cold chill went up my back when I took my first look at the BIG 'wild' gold ribbon! I remember thinking; "Oh my God! I'll have to drive around in this wild paint job!" Well, I found out that you can get used to just about anything. However, my wife was so upset she said; "You ruined a perfectly good truck (with that gaudy paint job)!" She didn't even want to ride in it for the first few months!

Of course, we both got used to the "wild" paint job. It had made me very aware while in traffic and I still get a lot of strangers signaling (thumbs up) and compliments. While speaking with Russ Gerner after a couple years, he explained that he usually does not sign his paint jobs. But this was a very special paint job for him, which explains his signature in the lower left corner of the tailgate. And, no... Russ does not smoke cigars.

Well, not only did I get used to the wild paint job, I found that it confirmed my status as an avid cigar enthusiast. After all, I had spent the last few years reading every book I could find on the subject of cigars and had become fascinated with cigar history and trivia.

As I showed the new truck to local cigar shop owners, one cigar storeowner offered to pay to have his company name on the back window. He paid a monthly fee for over a year and helped get me out of the "dog house" with my wife. Time heals all wounds, but cash flow was the painkiller!

Naturally, I became the guy everybody looked to for information on local cigar events. I started collecting names and e-mail addresses for local cigar enthusiasts to keep them informed about local cigar events. There are now over 136 names on my local cigar buddy list. In November of 2001 I traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina for a business venture. The local cigar store had a group they called "The Insane Cigar Posse" that meet every Wednesday evening. http://www.lasvegash.com/laststogie.htm After seven months I returned to Las Vegas and began a weekly Wednesday cigar event. The weekly after work smokers served as an inspiration for the development of a bigger and better cigar ashtray, which was the inspiration for launching the new (stainless steel) Stinky Cigar Ashtray at the 2004 RTDA.

On the road trip home from North Carolina, a tire blew out and damaged the right side of the bed. After buying a new set of tires in Knoxville, Tennessee and returning home, I took the truck back to Russ Gerner and called the insurance company. We scheduled the repairs and Russ agreed to add 2 more cigars to the paint scheme. Because of my fondness for some of the JR Alternative Cigars, Ashton Cigars and Fuente Don Carlos cigars, their brand name likeness were added to the right side of the truck.


In 2002 Benny Menendez famed son of Cuban cigar blender and expatriate. Menendez is known for blending the Cuban Romeo y Julieta cigars. Benny was here to host a cigar tasting at the Paiute Tribal Smoke Shoppe. When I showed Benny the custom paint job, he told us the story about his father, Romeo y Julieta and Cuba. I asked him to sign the tailgate by the Romeo y Julieta cigar even though we didn't know if the enamel gold pen would "burn off" and fade away in the desert sun. Well, it lasted just fine until some other cigar manufactures agreed to add to the paint job.

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Jeorge Padrõn, Stinky, Jose Padrõn, Litto Gomez, Orlando Padrõn

In November of 2003 Jorge Padrõn of Padrõn Cigar Company was in Las Vegas for the annual Big Smoke. He asked why his cigar(s) were not featured on my truck. As we talked further I realized he was serious. He agreed to pay for the painting cost to have the tailgate repainted by the original artist. And, while we were talking, Litto Gomez from La Flor Dominicana Cigars joined us. Litto also wanted his cigars represented! They both agreed to share the cost of the paint modifications. Then the following week when I went to visit Russ Gerner, I was disappointed to find out he was in the process of closing his shop to retire. Russ recommended another artist named Tristan Koepfli. Tristan loved the idea of saving the existing signatures and artwork on the tailgate. Within two months, the tailgate renovation was complete. Not only did Tristan save the original cigars and signatures, he added some outstanding detail and texture to each of the new and existing cigars, not to mention 12 more coats of high gloss clear finish.


People always ask if I have a cigar store. My usual reply is; "No. It's just my hobby." I enjoyed posting on various cigar web site bulletin boards since 1998 with the screen name Stinky. Most of all I enjoy meeting fellow cigar enthusiasts from around the world. And, as Las Vegas is a destination for many adults, I would invite fellow cigar enthusiasts to contact me whenever they travel to Las Vegas. I offer to meet for a cigar and a little inside information about the local attractions. I've found cigar smokers to be a great cross section of people!

I still do not consider myself in the cigar business. My ashtray, collecting cigar books, cigar trivia, trying different cigars and meeting with other cigar enthusiasts is still my hobby. People in the cigar business and fellow cigar enthusiasts remember my truck (and me) because I always say . . . I'm Stinky!
 
Stinky Junior?

When my son turned 18 and graduated from High School, he decided to buy a small truck. Much to my surprise while driving to the Motor Vehicle Department, he asked if he could get a custom "Vanity" license plate. Of course I asked what he wanted on it. You can imagine how proud I was when he said "Stinky Junior"! ! ! He hasn't smoke cigars since he got caught with his brother when they were 11 and 12 years old. However, someday if he should decide to enjoy a fine cigar, I'm sure he will try one of my best!