By T. J.

If you are a gun enthusiast and believe in the 2nd Amendment, then you need to meet our friend Mike Jones at A-OK Guns on U.S. 1 in New Smyrna Beach. Mike has been around guns since he was a child when his dad, who is also named Mike, traded a trike for 9 guns. Mike senior began buying, selling and trading guns. It wasn’t long before he opened Jones Gun Shop gun shop in White Mills, Pennsylvania in 1974. A second shop, Northeast Firearms followed in Honesdale, Pa in 1984. Young Mike took over the Honesdale gun shop in 2001 when Dad moved to Hudson, Fl and opened Ol’ Time Gun Shop on State Rd 52. Junior worked his butt off 7 days a week at Northeast and did up to 40 gun shows a year for 19 years until he sold it and made the move to Florida last October and opened A-OK.

He bought his first motorcycle, an ‘85 Sportster in 1999 and immediately became an avid rider. Several bikes and years later, he now rides a 2016 Freewheeler around town. I said, “You must know everything about guns”? He replied, “Nobody knows everything, if somebody tells you they do, they’re lying”. His ongoing education in the school of “Gunocology” continues but suffice it to say Mike can answers all your questions and assist you in the purchase of your next gun. If you’re going shooting, they have what you need at A-OK. Mike’s tag line in his ad is “Big things happen in small places”, and although the square footage may be limited, the place is packed with guns. There are 400 guns in stock, but they don’t just sell. They buy, and trade all types of new and used pistols, rifles, and shotguns. There is also a huge supply of ammo, optics, accessories and cleaning supplies available. Mike also loves to see collectibles come into the shop.

Mr. Jones is also very community and charity oriented. He is member of the Masonic Fraternity since 2007, as well as a member of The Fraternal Order of Eagles since 1994. It comes as no surprise that he is a lifetime member of the NRA and involved with local youth groups.

Hours at A-OK are Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 10am – 5:30pm and on Sat 10am – 3pm. A-Ok is closed Wed and Sun. I recommend that you stop in and see Mike and the staff for all your firearm needs. Tell em Thunder Roads Florida sent you!

For those of you who haven’t lived the rally circuit you simply can’t understand the extended family that grows across the miles. Having tended bar at one of the original biker bars The White Eagle in Daytona Beach, working the rallies in Laconia, Texas, Sturgis, Ohio Bike Week, Myrtle Beach and of course Bike Week and Biketoberfest you get to know so many people that you see year after year.

Facebook makes it easy to keep up with their lives and that is the one thing Facebook is good for. I worked for 5 weeks in Sturgis at the Easy Rider Saloon (now The Iron Horse) several years ago, and I saw many of the girls we hired from back in the day at Sturgis this year. Whether it is vendors, Doug from Sick Boys, Billy from Twisted Tea, other magazine owners or bar owners it is just like a family reunion at every rally.

My 4th trip up to Sturgis and I still find the riding to be amazing and the vistas spectacular. Sturgis was awesome this year! Weather-picture perfect. Camp Kristen is like coming home! Thank you Wade, Kristen and Billy. The first weekend the crowds were huge. The Kid Rock concert had to be attended by 70,000! It quieted down quickly going into the second weekend. Their Governor Kristi Noem not only rode her horse around town, but she also rode her brand new Indian! Kenny, T.J., Jeani and I made it home safely although we both have spent most of September recovering from Covid.

I sure wish Sturgis wasn’t so far or so cold in the winter I would move there in a minute!!! Check out the calendar as there are so many local events across our state that you shouldn’t miss!
Schedule a trip to Sturgis, say a prayer for the folks left in Afghanistan and don’t forget your sunscreen!

By Ron Cox

Conflicts overseas may be winding down, but the unseen injuries are ever present. So, the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) hosted a poker run to raise funds and awareness of PTSD among returning Veterans.

The run began and ended at Latitude 78/Gator Mike’s in Cape Coral. In support of CVMA’s run, Wolfhounds Legacy and PTSD Awareness Summit both had a presence with information about their programs.

After registering at Gator Mike’s and drawing the first card, riders set out to card stops in St. James City, Cape Coral, North Ft. Myers before returning to the starting point for the last card. Dirk Dennis won the $100 Best Hand prize with 3 Kings. Mike Myzak “won” the Worst Hand with a 9 high nothing. Proceeds from the run will be donated to PTSD Awareness.

Donations can be made at www.wolfhoundslegacy.com or
www.PTSDAwarenessSummit.org to support these agencies doing invaluable work.

By Lulu

A great destination ride during Biketoberfest for cocktails or a cold one with a relaxing view of the Atlantic is on A1A just south of the Flagler Pier. A sweet girl, Jayne Harris, is the owner and she has had a bit of a rough year with the new business! She opened Hang Ten in December 2020 right smack in the middle of a pandemic that has continued to plague bars & restaurants. Not only did they have the fear factor for clients and their staff, but they also had the government paying people not to work! All this made her first year more difficult than it might have been. Now with beautiful riding weather upon us, I know motorcycle enthusiasts always love to come to the aid of people! So put this on your list of places to stop in during the fall riding season. The outside tiki bar is always open 7 days a week. Their hours are noon to 9pm Sun-Thurs, and noon to 10pm Fri & Sat. The bar is full liquor and they serve ice cold beer. A full menu includes house specials Beef on Weck. It’s roast beef piled high on a kummelweck roll with au jus and horseradish on the side. Another must try: Jayne’s Wipeout Burger, a half-pound prime rib burger on a lightly toasted bun with sauteed onions, bacon, lettuce, tomato and a Hang Ten signature sauce. They rope off bike parking during the rally for you, so they like to see two & three wheelers ride in. On Tuesday evenings they feature Trivia, Wednesdays Karaoke, Thursdays open mic and then Fri & Sat evenings live music which they also have in the afternoons Sat & Sun. Let’s make October Jayne’s best month of 2021!!

By Lulu

Denise and Rick Hilliard have been in the bar/restaurant business their whole life. Even as a kid, Denise’s mom had The Flame on International Speedway and Rick’s parents owned the property that became the First Turn in Port Orange after moving from the Speedway. Rick, Denise, and Lee Hilliard started the First Turn near the Speedway on International in 1984. Volusia County has reaped the benefits of not only their great food & music, but also their charitable giving back to the community that kept their business thriving in good times and bad! But as the saying goes, “Nothing stays the same!” and after 33 years at First Turn on US 1 in Port Orange, the Hilliards have sold the bar and are retiring to be full time grandparents and part-time farmers! Shane Snipes is now at the helm of First Turn. His plans are to do some remodeling and keep the First Turn venue pretty much the same; lots of good live music, great steak and seafood meals, and continue the Tuesday night Bike Night. So, ride in to the First Turn for a great time!

Lulu

Well, thanks to Suzy and Royce I have some photos to share of the Too Broke for Sturgis Bash that they have been throwing in Paisley for years! We were in Sturgis this year so TJ and I didn’t make the bash. This party is always well attended and the ice-cold beer they are known for was flowing. I heard Suzy was a bit hungover the next day. This is a cool place to ride out to. Pretty country roads in the Paisley area. Since I am not a beer drinker, the fact that they are full liquor makes me a happy camper when we stop in to cool our pipes. Along with a classic car show on the 2nd Saturdays, they have bike days every Saturday with bucket specials and on the 15th of January beginning at noon they will be throwing their big anniversary bash and we plan to attend…you should too!!