Well Biketoberfest has come and gone now, a bit off in numbers due to the Mayor of Daytona Beach being a complete dick, but a great time of riding, old and new friends, and music despite him. Coronavirus and an anti-biker mayor couldn’t keep motorcycles away! Someone with money is pulling his puppet strings and he has twice now hurt the bars within the city limits while the outlying venues on US 1 and beyond still welcomed the motorcycling community with open bars, music, vendors and smiles.

I want to brag on a crew of people that spent a day exploring our highways a bit off the beaten path of Daytona Beach. We set off on Saturday about 11:30am with about 10 bikes to ride out to Renegade’s on the River in Crescent City, picked up a couple bikes there too, rode next to Long’s Log Cabin in Welaka, then to Hermit’s Cove in Satsuma. Got back on the highway and rode all the way to Putnam Hall to Howlin Wolf and a final stop in Palatka at 3-D Saloon. It was quite a hike for us all. We got caught in the rain after dark heading back US 100 and dipped into The Bimini for cover. Ended the night at Iron Horse trying to see 4Play, but the rain caused us to miss them. Cowboy was already on stage and was rocking a good Saturday night crowd. What I was impressed by was that the crew from all over including, Deland, Crystal River, Wesley Chapel, Indiana, New York and Massachusetts, were more than willing to get on their bikes and RIDE!! They didn’t seem to mind at all that their day wasn’t spent walking up and down sidewalks in Daytona Beach. We got them to explore cool bars, dive bars, veteran owned bars…and all but the Bimini our ad clients!!! So, I must thank them for sharing the highway with us.

On another note, there is a great group of people who ride monthly out of The Boat Bar in Port Orange, we are not able to go on everyone, but when we are in town we wouldn’t miss it. I went in to close my bar tab and the bartender at The Boat Bar said something that has stuck in my mind since last month, “I just want you to know that I feel honored to be the bartender on the day of your Mystery Ride. They are the nicest group of people who are always willing to include new riders and wait on someone who might be running late.” It was nice to hear it from someone on the other side of the bar. I KNOW they are great people…we have been riding with some of them 2 years now, but the fact a bartender realizes they are good humans…just nice to hear! Proud of those guys and gals.

Join us on a ride sometime, buy a veteran a beer, ride on a toy run…and don’t forget your sunscreen!