BY LIL-JON

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Well, Starke Bike Fest being held downtown is a great idea. But August is during hurricane season, and if it could happen…it will. We started the week prior to the event with a storm called Irene that threatened the east coast. It turned into a hurricane and was supposed to hit from Daytona to Jacksonville Friday and Saturday, but with a little luck it blew past and we just got a little rain Friday night. The Starke people said “We either are having a hurricane party or a Bike Fest, but we are having fun none the less…”

I got to Starke Thursday to get a jump on things and get camp set up. Now you can always tell who is old skool by their camp. Some came in pup tents that take 15min. with very little sleeping quarters and they sleep on the ground; then there are tents like mine that take 30 min. even though I have set it up about 10 times. Three rooms, double air mattress…to me that’s roughin’ it, as much as I can take it. There is nothing like roughing it. It shows what you’re made of, although I would not turn down room service. By the way room prices ranged from $40 and up in Starke.

Anyway Friday morning came, cool and crisp. Half the day I watched vendors set up items to sell. About 5pm things started to pick up people rolled in, parking on the streets of Starke. This year they not only had beer they included liquor; some say it’s less filling. Well Friday’s line up of bands were No Warning, Alter Eagles and, of course, Big Engine. Half way through Big Engine, Hurricane Irene could not resist. She wet us with a half hour downpour, but we toughed it out, ran for cover and Big Engine continued until their last song was finished. Everyone stayed up and “played” a little longer, then finally went to sleep.
The next morn about 10am The Faith Riders put out a free breakfast which people crawled from their tents, their big fancy motor homes and their room service motels for, to eat the great breakfast that the Faith Riders catered. After breakfast the registration began for the bike show. All day there were things like water balloon toss, barrel roll and slow ride. And, of course, the porta-potty drags. Besides the bike games and bike show, there was a tattoo contest. The bands that day were Wolfgang, James Booze Band, Justin Freeman, Local Traffic and Stiff Upper Lip (AC/DC tribute band). On other stages there was Keith Boogieman, Steel Rockin and EFEN.

If you got a chance to take a tour of Starke, there is a list of places on 301 from Red Dog to Timbuktu and you can’t skip Knuckle Draggers. That’s the place you can get work done on your bike, have a cold one and if they have food…get fed.

Sunday after breakfast if you took the ride, they had another bike show and a band line up of Cross Heirs Outfitters, Crossfire, Steel Rockin, J.Collins, Diamondback and Section 8.

We all had a great time. Next year try to make it out, if not for the weekend, come just for the day. The good folks of Starke love their bikers and would love to show off their slice of Florida.
 
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