Mike Garner with Stag

Mike Garner is a lifelong sportsman whose love for everything outdoors has been the driving force behind his career. With over a decade of television production experience under his belt, he has cultivated a track record of storytelling excellence.


Street Warrior
March 16, 2010

Mike Garner on a custom bikeI can’t deny the classic engineer boot has been a running theme for me these days. But, I make no apologies. The boot became an instant favorite back in January when I pulled them on for the first time. And I may have been content to move on to the next pair of boots – but then came WarBikes!

A docu-reality series about custom motorcycles inspired by vintage World War II aircraft, the show is the perfect blend of horsepower and history designed to create awareness for a historic fleet of warbirds and to help the organization that keeps them in the air. The Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force at Falcon Field in Mesa, AZ supports a fairly large group of aircraft including the B-17 Sentimental Journey – our inspiration for the latest bike build.

As a television writer and producer, I could not have asked for a better backdrop or storyline. Honoring the men and women who built and flew these historic planes takes passion and teamwork. It also takes a hands-on master craftsman and a special shop to deliver. Ralph Randolph, a commercial airline pilot and custom bike builder, is that guy, and his shop, Knockout Motorcycle Company in Mesa, AZ, is that place.

 

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Flying Over Mesa, Arizona
February 16, 2010

Mike on T-6 TexanYou wouldn’t think flying in a vintage World War II era T-6 Trainer would evoke thoughts or memories of rugged outdoor footwear. And, I have to admit the thought didn’t immediately cross my mind. But, somewhere over Mesa, Arizona, that’s exactly what happened.

 

I recently found myself working in the back seat of a T-6 Trainer, flying at a comfortable cruising altitude of 3,000 feet and moving along at a steady 150 MPH. While capturing some beautiful HD footage of vintage aircraft in formation the thought occurred to me, I was wearing a pair of boots that could have easily been found in that same plane 70 years ago.

 

The North American T-6 Texan was a single-engine trainer aircraft used to train pilots in the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, and the Royal Air Force, among others. The plane was first flown in 1935 and was in full-blown production by the late 1930’s.

 

The popular warbird aircraft is the subject of a project I am producing called WarBikes. The only “outdoorsy” thing about the series is the fact that we are shooting out-of-doors. Not the typical sports afield type story most boot guys would associate with the Chippewa brand.

 

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SHOT Show 2010
January 28, 2010

As a life long sportsman and admitted outdoor footwear addict, I could not have found a more appropriate place to kick start a little boot dialog than one of the industry’s most demanding proving grounds – the 2010 SHOT Show.
Don’t laugh. I’m serious. With 700,000 square feet of smooth concrete and poorly padded carpet, the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, presented an ideal opportunity to test the comfort and fit of a good pair of boots.
And I wasn’t the only one. The ultimate shooting, hunting, and outdoor trade show featured miles of aisles with 1,633 exhibitors, 31,280 buyers, and 1,804 media professionals. Almost everyone covering the same ground the same way – on two feet.

 

Cushioned insoles with good arch support were the order of the day and function over form seemed to be the rule. But, you could still find everything from athletic shoes to wingtips.

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Common spelling variations include chipiwa, chipawa, chippawa, chipowa, chippowa, and chippewah