By Raven Van Pelt

I have been talking for awhile now about going to the Keys, and this week I finally got the chance to go, thank you Lulu. I will definitely say it was a long trip from Yulee, but well worth it. My boyfriend, roommate and a good friend and I had a great time. We arrived at Peterson’s Harley-Davidson store for the 40th run to the Keys, early Friday morning. Needless to say many had arrived there even earlier.

We headed out for the Keys stopping at all five of the poker check points to draw our cards, ending in Key West sometime in the early evening. We checked in to our hotel, dried off (yep we caught some of the rain) and passed out, only to be back on the road early Saturday morning.

We hit Duval Street early, parked the bikes and off we went. For those of you who may have not been to Key West for this event. They close the street to auto traffic. Nothing but bikes! We walked around stopping in all the little shops, and then hit Schooner’s Wharf Bar for their tattoo contest, with Lea Vandetta from Ink Masters as one of the judges, all were winners! Best in Show went to Mike Turan, with the back piece of turtles.

Our next stop was Coyote Ugly where we had a few, and then off to Mallory Square where you will never see a better sunset or street performers. We then hit Rick’s/Dirty Harry’s Bike Show. Morris Corbitt won for People’s Choice by 401 votes!

At Cowboy Bill’s Saloon they had the Texas Hold ’em grand finale where a 50/50 was won and Miguel Castellanos won the best poker hand. Half a million dollars was raised for Juvenile Diabetes! Before leaving at 1am we got to watch some sexy ladies ride the mechanical bull.

Sunday morning it was pack up, eat and hit the road for home, along with the thousands of others heading the same way. Would I do it again….hell yeah!!!