"Just the good ol' boys, never meanin' no harm ..." You know all the words to The Dukes of Hazzard anthem, but did you know you can see a replica of the General Lee and Cooter's Garage, and visit with the REAL Cooter, Ben Jones, at Cooter's Place in Luray?
"Breaker one, breaker one, I may be crazy but I ain't dumb!" I can still hear "Crazy Cooter's" famous CB call ringing in my ears as clear as day, and I guess that's no surprise given my childhood devotion to the show (repeat after repeat). Maybe it was strange for a little girl, but I even had a Dukes-themed birthday party when I was seven -- complete with the General Lee birthday cake! (I also thought I was going to marry Bo Duke one day, so there's that). Imagine my surprise when I realized that the General Lee is parked only a couple hours away, in Luray, Virginia, at Cooter's Garage! [caption id="attachment_7751" align="aligncenter" width="960"]
Strangely enough, my family and I found out about this phenomenon by accident. We were heading for a day of hiking in Shenandoah National Park, and we passed this big red building with a sign that said "Cooter's." My husband and I thought it was a funny name for a store, and drew no connection to "Crazy Cooter" until we saw the General Lee parked out front! Tire screech. U-turn.
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Every Saturday, from 1 to 3 p.m., Cooter himself (or Ben Jones, but it's more fun to call him "Cooter," right?) is at Cooter's Garage performing with his band -- yep, you heard me. HIS BAND! It's called "Cooter's Garage Band," and there's a free concert every Saturday. Afterward, Cooter is available to shake hands, kiss babies, and give autographs until 4 p.m.!
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