By Lulu

There is always a party happening at OBs in Deland. March was no exception with Deland Bike Rally, Bike Week, the Burning Bike After Party, OB’s birthday party complete with a bikini contest, Yuengling’s Tattoo Contest with Willie from Tropical Tattoo running the show and their Wednesday night bike nights! Oh, and a bike show! Add to that great music is a mainstay with bands such as Deadlanders and the Matt O’Ree band to name a few. Coming up in June is the Americana Bike Show on June 23rd, complete with Miss Americana Contest! So, saddle up and see you there!

We have had a great spring! Now we are headed for the Dog Days of Summer and lucky enough to be spending a bit of it in cooler temperatures. In June we will be on a cruise to Alaska, followed by a week in Cape Cod with friends, in August, Gator Ken and Jeani have a house rented in Clyde, N.C so we will be visiting Bobarosa, a cool biker bar on a river that we found last year and enjoying some of the prettiest riding anywhere. Sounds like our life is a vacation…but we have spent countless hours putting the magazine together and attending motorcycle rallies all spring, and at age 70 I am worn out!!! I need retreads!!

This summer we still have lots on the events calendar. In June, OB’s Americana Bike Show with $1000 cash for Best in Show and $1000 for Miss Americana bikini contest happens on Sunday, 23rd. Boot Hill Saloon will be rocking Independence Day! And Pirate’s Pub has their Too Broke For Sturgis Party the 1st Saturday of August. I heard through the grapevine that Patti Miracle is the new co-owner of the old Steel Around Tavern in Astor. After a complete remodel, it will return to the original name, Forest Tavern, on Rt 40 just east of Drifter’s on the River.

We are also waiting impatiently for the huge tiki bar at Drifter’s to get the city’s permission to open!! That is one awesome tiki! Stay hydrated this summer with more water than alcohol, kiss your loved ones often and don’t forget your sunscreen.

By Lulu

Each spring, right as Bike Week kicks off, the Antique Motorcycle Club of America Sunshine Chapter celebrates biking history with a 3-day event. The bike show is AMCA sanctioned, and beautifully restored antique bikes are there to compete. A giant swap meet filled the huge venue at Municipal Stadium on LPGA Blvd. Friday night there was a banquet with Corky Coker. While walking through the swap meet, I snapped a shot of Daren Bennett working at a booth. On a sad note, he passed away during Bike Week a few days after I shot his smiling face!! Next year the event is moving to Volusia County Fairgrounds and the dates are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday February 27, 28 and March 1, 2025.

By Lulu

If you haven’t experienced Broken Spoke Saloon yet you are missing out. I call it the Disney of biker bars. The beautiful, majestic oaks that give the gift of shade to the masses, also house the twinkling lights at night making it a magical place. Every day bike shows, car shows, a bikini contest, or bands, keep the property hopping. 1st Saturday it was the Rat Rod Bash, 1st Sunday Warren Lane’s Antique Gathering, Tuesday Cycle Source Custom Bike Show, Wednesday Perewitz Custom Paint Show, Friday Dennis Kirk’s Garage Build Bike Show, 2nd Saturday the 1st Miss Broken Spoke Bikini Contest (featured in the May issue, photos can be viewed at Thunder Roads Florida Facebook), and the 2nd Sunday a Vintage Car & Bike Show. Day and night bands including the famous Hairball, ROCK the huge property. Other bands included Bobby Friss, Loose Lips, Kiss America, Stone Senate, and Buckshot. A favorite of all who visit the Spoke is Southern Country Customs with their amazing builds, Rusty & Steve Wallace are often onsite to answer questions and even sign an autograph or two! Of course, beautiful bartenders are happy to sling a cold one or pour up your favorite spirits. Add to all that Bike Week and Biketoberfest the bands signed guitars that went up for auction to raise much needed funds for the Veterans Support Fund and for the Saddle Up for St. Jude’s event in April. Have to love a bar that works hard to show the people a good time and finds time and energy to help good causes!!

By Lulu

The spectacle to see each Bike Week is at Volusia County Fairgrounds. You can sign the monstrosity built with wood in the shape of a motorcycle and biker early in the week, but on the last Friday of Bike Week the entire thing goes up in flames, lit by bearers of torch flames. First though to get the heat started they have a slew of girls in skimpy bikinis vie for the cash prize and title of Miss Burning Bike! The top three girls Sandi, Nickie and Jazzmyn walked away with the trophies! And Sandi the crown! Had to be hard for the judges to choose! A definite must do and the crowds are insane so get there early!! There is a fee to enter, but I think it is well worth the ticket!

By Lulu

The old Dog Pound Saloon had a change of hands quite a while ago. Under the new ownership of Tom & Lisa, 1405 Saloon is an old school party during Bike Week! They put on one hell of a show with a wet-tee contest that had men bidding on the chance to wet a bevy of girls that were not afraid of showing them a good time! Live music on the outdoor stage, full liquor and a great staff makes this a cool joint for a bit of biker fun! Anytime you are in the Bunnell/Flagler area check this bar out at 1405 Moody Blvd.

By Lulu

Known for their world-famous T-shirts, beef tips, great music acts and the Wall of Death, there is something for everyone at the Iron Horse Saloon. This year the music during Bike Week included Colt Ford, Diamond Rio, Corey Smith, Chris Cagle, Whey Jenning, Bobby Friss, Loose Lips, Church of Cash, Jess Zimmerman, Cowboy & Buckshot.

We are pleased to say that Colt Ford is recovering after surviving a major heart attack on April 3rd in Albert, Arizona after a performance at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row. I am sure God heard the prayers of the staff at Iron Horse and all his fans!

The Iron Horse headliners signed guitars during Bike Week and Biketoberfest and the proceeds of those auctions benefitted St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the Veterans Support Fund! This bar is very involved in the community and is always first to support those in need.

By Lulu

Big Engine was rocking the crowd at The Dog House in Port Orange. Bill Grotto and the Twisted Tea girls were on hand to give out koozies and bandanas for those drinking the famous Twisted Teas! Missing this year was Tank, after all it is the Dog House, but loud music makes him a bit nervous and he is a famous TV star, so he calls the shots! Thank you, Twisted Tea, for being such a big part of the rally seasons and for supporting Thunder Roads Florida magazine!!! Go to their ad in this issue and sign up for the next Twisted Tea bike giveaway with the QR code. The bike will be given away July 11th, 2024!! You could be the next lucky winner!!

By Lulu

This year instead of holding a benefit at the clubhouse on International Speedway Blvd, the Daytona 200 MC put on a dice run. Starting at the Clubhouse we had a chance to look at the amazing baskets up for raffle, purchase a dice sheet and throw your first 3 red, white & blue die. Next stop was OBs, and I had a really good score going, but things went downhill from there. Left my sheet at OBs and had to wait at the next stop, a Circle K on Rt 40, for my hand to arrive and the next 3 throws were awful. I missed the1405 Saloon stop because I waited too long at Circle K and spent too long at OBs with Gator Ken and a Bloody Mary! Final stop was Beaver Bar for free BBQ and the basket raffles. Finally, things went the way I wanted. I walked away with 2 golf baskets and a week in the mountains!! Of course, my wallet weighed quite a bit less, but the benefit saves 2 lives! The pup gets a warrior to love and care for them, and the warrior has their “best friend”! If you are looking for an organization to get involved in, the folks at Daytona 200 are the oldest MC on record, and are looking for new members. They celebrated their 80th anniversary in 2023! They are all nice peeps, and their clubhouse is really nice too.

By Lulu

During Bike Week 2024 The Broken Spoke Saloon hosted their first Miss Broken Spoke Contest and seven smoking hot girls not only took the stage, but they also posed on bikes for the crowd to have their photos taken by anyone who wanted to get up close and personal. The girls were not only great looking they were all genuinely nice. The winner was Paige with Elecia and Sandi as runners up. The winning hottie took home a cool $1000!! Twisted Tea was the sponsor of this year’s event and Bill, and the Twisted Tea girls were there too. Jay Allen emceed the contest, and he was tongue tied at least once watching the girls strut their stuff. I heard they will be doing this again next spring so saddle up and join the fun.

By Lulu

Each Bike Week we take a crew of amazing people for a ride out in the country, some are old friends and some we have never met before. This year bad weather was projected, and I almost called it off, yet it turned out to be absolutely a perfect day. We started at The Hideout in Holly Hill where Tara provided great food for our bellies fortifying us for the day. Off we rode to our first stop, 3 Bananas in Crescent City for cocktails and some couldn’t pass up on great food with a pretty view of the lake. Next, we made our way to The Hideaway Bar & Grill in Pomona Park. Lisa goes all out and makes the trip to her bar memorable! She had a sex swing in the giant oak, saddles for photo ops, balloons inside for more photos but this year the guys loved beating the crap out of a Jap bike!!! Next stop was the Gnarly Gar, a great waterfront dive bar that was the old Hermit’s Cove. The new owners have really cleaned this place up but maintained enough of the “dive bar” atmosphere to make this one of our favorite spots to ride to. Always call first as it is a trip, and they are not open 7 days a week. They have added Wednesdays to their open days, so now they are open Wednesday through Sunday. Final stop for the whole group was Renegade’s on the River, a huge RV resort/ restaurant/and beautiful tiki bar situated on the St. John’s River. We completed the ride in time for those who chose to ride back to The Other Place in Ormond Beach for their weekly Shovelhead Night. See the article in this issue for that coverage. Many more photos of the day can be found on Thunder Roads Florida. Join us during Biketoberfest for the fall ride!

By Lulu

Twice a year the crew at Howlin Wolf in Melrose put on an old school bike event that is worth the ride! Bike show, bike games, burn outs and sexy biker contest gives everyone something to entertain those who long for the way things once were. Twisted Fate provided rocking music all afternoon. Kevin from Gainesville Harley was a sponsor for the trophies and was onsite for this year’s contest. Ice cold beer and strong mixed drinks kept us all happy! And thank goodness this year I didn’t get a kidney stone and have to be taken to the ER!!! All had an enjoyable day! A full album of the day’s events can be seen on Thunder Roads Florida Facebook. Ride out for their fall event!!!

By Lulu

The home of Stetson University, downtown Deland is a very quaint artsy area, full of rich history and beautiful architecture. All through the historic downtown area, great murals enrich the artistic feel of the town. Every March, Deland has a one-day bike rally that is packed with bikes lining the city’s streets. Ride out next year for this cool day, lots of great restaurants and bars are there. This year we were able to snap a photo of TJ with influencer Letitia Cline who also is an avid motorcyclist. We had an amazing meal at Deland Eatery and knocked back a few at Issues Lounge and Package Store. More photos from the day are on Thunder Roads Florida Facebook. Next year the rally will be on March 1st so put it on your calendar as a NOT TO MISS!

By Lulu

Sorry Charlie’s Corner was the old Mike’s Corner and before that Eagle’s Nest. But Charlie has certainly put THE PARTY in the old bar! Whether it is live music with the likes of Whey Jennings or Loose Lips from Nashville, participating in charity events like Saddle Up for St. Judes, the Redneck Parade at Christmas, or the Miss Sorry Charlie’s during Bike Week, there is always something fun drawing huge crowds to the bar. Having a huge outside area to sit and listen to great tunes, some of the GREATEST bartenders anywhere including Charlie’s “Teacup” Amie or the amazing food (you must try the pork tenderloin sandwich) Charlie has put this piece of property in Samsula on the map as a destination for bike enthusiasts. They are located at 3705 Hwy 44. Bike night is on Thursdays beginning at 6p with live music and $3 longnecks, $4 premiums and 2 for 1 drafts, so check Sorry Charlie’s out if you haven’t been there yet! In May they have a Kentucky Derby Party scheduled for 5pm on the 4th so come dressed in your finest Derby attire. And put this one on your calendar… Charlie’s 50th Birthday Party June 7th!!! Somebody needs a spanking! Join in on the fun at Sorry Charlie’s!

By Lulu

Everyone who knows me, will tell you I always say Chopper Time at Tropical Tattoo on S. Yonge St. in Ormond Beach is by far the BEST event of Bike Week! Not only is it a bike show with unique motorcycle creations, interesting photography as far as attendees at the event, and bikes, great music in the back by Jacksonville Slim & Express Train, lots of old friends and famous/infamous peeps…it also raises much needed funds for the Veteran’s Support Fund and the money stays here to help our local vets and the Emory L. Bennett Nursing Home! All the proceeds from the alcohol sales and bartenders’ tips help these heroes! Mike from the Veteran’s Support Fund said this was their 2nd biggest donation ever! Chopper Time has also helped other charities along the way including the VFW and Arne Foundation for animals. Nothing impresses me more than bad ass bikers being kind. Willie and his crew of amazing volunteers have been throwing this event for 24 years during Bike Week. It is always the Thursday of Bike Week and Biketoberfest. While onsite for the show, his tattoo artists are busy creating ink for those who are looking for something new to be added to their canvas. I have been covering his event for 18 years now, and this by far was the largest ever!! What started as a bunch of bike builders meeting at Willie’s to hit some strip clubs years ago has ended up being one of the oldest, most amazing bike shows anywhere! A special thank you to the sponsors Rue & Ziffra law firm, Twisted Tea, Hogridin.com, Realty Pros, Hardcore Cycles Inc, Spectro Performance Oils, Blings Cycles, S & S Performance, Hot Leathers, Grandview Live, Joker Cycles Works, Only Choppers, Iron Horse Saloon, Broken Spoke, OB’s, Cochise Chops, Church of Chops, Renegade Magazine, and to Heather & Chris from Cycle Source for their hard work putting this on. And let’s not forget Roadside Marty for keeping the show running. Pictures of all the winners can be seen on Thunder Roads Florida Facebook.
Chopper Time Spring 2024 Winners!
Hardcore-Eric Stein
Shovel-Mike Vasey
Custom-Jason Hallman
Perewitz Paint-Xavier Muriel
Paint-Jack Deagazio
Chopper-Chris Callen
Metric-Mike Grover
Roadside’s Choice-Travis Bowser
Knuckle-Ritchie
Evo-Daniel Heman
Flathead-William Gallo
Bling’s Choice-Joe Rayl
Crowd Favorite-J Ryan
Twin Cam-Bobby C
Cycle Source Choice-Johnny 99
Rev Al Award-Eric Mills
Panhead-Anthony Reboudo
Tropical Tattoo Choice-Andrew Leibman
Antique-Andrea Labarbara
Rat-Co Kane
Willie’s Choice-Bill Dodge
Bobber-Chuck Williams
Sportster-Mandy Foster
TBR Choice-Cooper Sidle
British Bike-Drew Skocelas