Bike Week is upon us! Earlier than the past several years and I can’t believe this is my 18th Bike Week as owner of Thunder Roads Florida. Geez I was only 52 when Bull and I started, and this year I turn 70! So many amazing people have helped make this part of the story of my life a pleasure, and the magazine a success! I won’t dare name them as if I left someone out, I would be mortified. But thank you to all and to the readers and advertisers. And a special thanks to T. J., my partner… “the ship steerer and shit stirrer” that has made the magazine what it is today!

And for Bike Week if you haven’t been here there are things besides drinking that you MUST do. Ride A1A north to Flagler, stop in Hanky Panky’s on your way up, the ocean view is amazing. Take a left on 100 and hit Bunnell area bars including 1405 Saloon, Crossroads Tavern and Ike’s. They are all motorcyclists owned bars and love to see bikes pull in. Ride out to Crescent City and hit up cool joints on the water. Renegades on the River has an impressive tiki bar on the St. John’s, 3 Bananas has great food and is on the lake, The Hideaway is a really cool old bar, Gnarly Gar is a GREAT dive bar that is only open Thursday-Sundays. Drifters Riverfront in Astor is known for great food, a pretty water view and has also built a huge tiki bar that isn’t up and running yet but will be by mid spring.

In Deland you have the Deland Bike Rally Saturday the 2nd, and on the 3rd Issues in downtown Deland has a bike show and live music. OB’s is hosting their Rumble & Rally on the 3rd in Deland too, with a bike show and tattoo contest and Matt O’Ree on stage. City Limits in Deland also has live music and great food with a huge outdoor area. Brass Rail and The Inn Between are also in Deland area and are biker owned! Just outside of Deland in Paisley is the Pirate’s Pub. For a bit of a longer destination The Howlin Wolf in Melrose is a cool full liquor joint! Then, for a more southernly trek, The Alibi in Geneva will have full liquor for Bike Week, and you must get one of the famous BLTs! In Longwood and Sanford is Rhonda’s Neighborhood Bar and Shovelhead’s which are stops that love bikers.

On the way back Samsula has Sorry Charlie’s Corner which features full liquor for bike week and Cabbage Patch Bar is home of the famous coleslaw wrestling on Wednesday and Saturday. All of these stops are out of the traffic and make for ENJOYABLE day trips. Of course, the normal hubs are US 1 from Port Orange to Ormond. We have The Boat Bar with $2 domestics in Port Orange. First Turn, Mark’s Sports Pub, & Chris’ Lounge takes you up through Ormond to Iron Horse Saloon, Boot Hill Outpost, Broken Spoke, and Saints & Sinners.

Don’t forget to check out Gina that owns Chris’ new bar, The Other Place on Nova for their Wednesday Shovelhead night. Then you have the Main Street madness, and you must stop in for a world-famous Boot Hill T-shirt and a cigar at Chrome. The hub of it all is Teddy Morse’s H-D with a slew of vendors, bands, Clydesdales, bike shows, bikini contest and BIKES. Surrounding dealerships have events the whole time too including Gator HD in Leesburg, Adamec in St. Augustine and Jacksonville, Seminole in Sanford, Gator in Leesburg, and Space Coast in Palm Bay where Bishop puts on great music.

They all have lots going on to lure you in! My MUST do list is always a ride on The Loop, a night of Hairball at Broken Spoke, Chopper Time on Thursday, The Burning Bike Friday night, a night at Grandview Live and a new pair of boots at Skip’s Boot. The best boot place anywhere!!! And for a great meal Big Tuna’s on A1A in Daytona Beach. We do a ride to the country on Wednesday the 6th, all are welcome. We meet at Hideout Lounge on Derbyshire at 10ish, KSU 11. Hope to see you there!

Check out the Not to Miss List with all the bike shows, swap meets, bikini contests, coleslaw wrestling, bands, and miscellaneous events. Ride safe, make new friends and don’t forget your sunscreen!!!

By Lulu

Some things get better with age. Whiskey, beef, cheese, jeans, leather, boots, trees, and friendships to name a few. And it is also true of Kim Elmore and her bar in Bunnell, Ike’s Saloon. This isn’t the first Cool Joint article we have written about her bar. She opened Ike’s in 2018 as a beer and wine bar, and it is a full liquor bar now. Kim has a long history in the bar business. Moving from New Jersey in 1993 the young red head had The Hole on A1A in 1997, she has worked at many bars in town, and bartended and managed the White Eagle Lounge prior to opening Ike’s Saloon. For a time, she had a car lot before she found her way back into the bar biz. She loves motorcycling and motorcyclists. So, she has a parking lot full of bikes on any given day. I have run into Kim at rallies with her posse. She lives the lifestyle! The locals love Ike’s because she keeps local prices all year, ice cold beer and the staff knows what you drink and how you like it. Ike’s has pool tables, steel tip, darts with a tournament on Wednesday evenings. On the first Fridays of each month, they are bringing back their bike night with music and shot specials. The first Saturdays they have a parking lot party with DJ Howie. Kim loves being involved in community events and being a stop on poker runs. They have no trouble hosting large runs having fed hundreds after the 9/11 run in the past. Follow them on Facebook for their monthly events!

By Lulu

The weather Gods did not smile down on the day of this ride. Torrential rain was projected, luckily for the children, Jim Lynch of Revelation 1 Concepts/Bike Show Mafia had put out boxes for collection of toys earlier in the month. Those who braved the severe weather mostly showed up in cars, trucks, and jeeps. A few of us rode from Broken Spoke to Sorry Charlie’s and mostly beat the rain. Other stops were canceled due to the weather. Sherry and Justin at the Broken Spoke hosted the registration and made yummy free pancakes and hot coffee. It was awesome! Once we arrived at Sorry Charlie’s, the firepit warmed our buns, and T. J. ordered an absolutely scrumptious and HUGE pork tenderloin sandwich. I think we fed five people off of it!!! Lots of children in Volusia County had a much nicer Christmas due to the generosity of those who gave, and to sponsors such as Kory Souza Originals, Faith Customs, Newsome Law, Twisted Tea, Broken Spoke and Sorry Charlie’s. The bike show that was scheduled for the day at Sorry Charlie’s had to be cancelled due to the storm, I am sure we will see Jim Lynch putting on a show in 2024!

By Dave Frank

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By Lulu

Each November, Jan and the staff at Gator H-D in Leesburg put on a fall rally that includes a lot full of vendors, full bars, and great live music. A new vendor was Biker Brand Coffee, ended up buying 3 bags after trying their iced coffee. Everyone loved it. Our friend, George, from Chrome Premium Cigars was busy selling his smoke. This year they had tattooists showing off their artistic talents inside the showroom. Bands at Gator are always great. This year Rock Hard, Justin Heet, REL, Torn, Rusty Wilmot and Hypersona rocked the stage for three full days of music! Sunday, they opened the event with church services to send everyone back home with good blessings. Look for the spring rally April 25-28 which coincides with Leesburg Bike Rally which is back on full steam! I heard Gator’s events may include a full-scale bikini contest, so girls, hit the gym!!

By T. J.

Jeff Gordon and I put 200 miles on our Harley’s to attend Christmas in the Swamp and it was a great day on 2 wheels! Each year in Groveland, a bunch of elves dressed as bikers, throw one hell of a party/charity event to provide gifts under their trees for children in the Mascotte & Groveland area! These “Santa’s elves” have a great piece of land they call the Swamp. Under a newly built covered patio was a large Christmas tree with more toys than I have ever seen collected by one group. Add to that they feed everyone a Christmas spread that was delicious all for the admission price of a toy for the tree! The Rat’s Nest Saloon had some Nam Knights slinging cocktails for the masses too. Join in for the fun, food and feeling of being a good soul by riding out next year to Christmas in the Swamp with the The Green Swamp Nam Knights of America, MC. You’ll be glad you did!

By Lulu

I never had a parent or grandparent in the military. My brother was in the Navy as a corpsman for a few years and I had older friends shipped off to Vietnam due to the draft, somehow, I developed a real love of veterans. They embody the best of what America should be…brave and patriotic. I must admit I am a bit worried about what the current administration is doing to our military, and it seems like they have lost sight of who should be protecting us.

I have attended the Ride to the Wall with Rolling Thunder 3 years and feel every American who has never attended it is missing a moving and emotional event. Eustis’ Salute to Veterans is one of the best events I have witnessed in Florida for showing off our love of those who serve this great nation. The parade, the lakefront park decked out with military vehicles, with a backdrop of veteran paratroopers from Phantom Airborne Brigade jumping from planes into the lake all morning, and the Iraq and Afghanistan National Memorial walls, made the trip to Eustis worthwhile. The Phantom Airborne Brigade and The Ranger Group hosted the morning jumps. The Sons of Mosby MCA, The Long-Range Reconnaissance Surveillance, and the Paratroopers for the 82nd Airborne Division all participated. Even veterans in wheelchairs were able to participate jumping from the plane to the lake below where boaters scooped them up and brought them to shore. An amazing sight!!

Thank you to all who served in the military, the cost of just being away from your families for an extended time is a great sacrifice. For those of you who served during wars, knowing that your time there kept us safe and helped keep us free, I am in awe of any who can be so self-sacrificing for others.

Next month I begin my 18th year publishing Thunder Roads Florida and I cannot say enough about how many wonderful people have come into my life because of the magazine and the world of motorcycling. Friendships that have lasted and grown over all 17 years! Friends I have just gotten to know in recent months, particularly through the Mystery Rides. I am writing this to thank the readers who have supported the FREE magazine by following our events calendar and showing up at ad clients’ establishments and events, and saying they saw it in Thunder Roads Florida. I even thank you for the friendships I have been blessed with by the success of the magazine. Recently T. J. was part of a golf outing that NASCAR’s Rusty Wallace generously donated to the Iron Horse Saloon’s Saddle Up for St. Judes poker run last spring. Rusty, Craiger, T. J., Mike and his son-in-law Gary spent the morning on the course, followed by a nice lunch at Oceanside County Club. Mike bid and donated $1000 to St. Judes for the day’s round of golf. Thunder Roads Florida was to pay for lunch, but Rusty wouldn’t hear of it! Rusty is one of the many amazing people who I have been blessed with knowing. I first met Rusty on a Camp Boggy Creek Ride. He is an unpretentious celebrity with a good heart! He and his son Steve now have a custom motorcycle company, Southern Country Customs, and their beautiful bikes are onsite at Broken Spoke for Bike Week 2024. The next Saddle Up for St. Judes will be at Iron Horse on April 6th with a poker run, cornhole tourney, Bike Show Mafia Bike Show, live and silent auctions, live music festival and much more. Rusty Wallace and Bill Grotto from Twisted Tea will be riding along with us. Over $40,000 last year was raised by the Iron Horse event and Sherry has a new goal of $60,000 so get on your saddle and join us! Count your blessings each and every day, take a new way to a destination because it is all about the ride and don’t forget your sunscreen.

By Adam Babcock (2023 Toys for Tots Ride Coordinator/Photos by Joshua Bugby

On Sunday, November 19th the Emerald Coast HOG Chapter (Fort Walton Beach, FL) hosted its 44th annual Toys 4 Tots Ride benefitting two local children’s charities – Children in Crisis and the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center. Over three hundred registered with over two hundred riders joining the group ride to the Niceville, Florida Mullet Festival site for food trucks, bike games, costume, and decorated bike contests, as well as 84 prize drawings. Almost $7K funds were raised and shared between both charities (plus an extra $2K from the Panhandle Eagle Aerie teams) and approximately $1K in gift cards with over four hundred toys! Many thanks go out to the riders that supported the event and for the tremendous generosity of our Northwest Florida community and businesses!

By Janice Catoggio

In December Crossroads Tavern and Ghost Town Punishers 5th Christmas Come True Poker Run hosted a tremendous event. There are so many people, companies, and organizations we would like to thank because standing together as a community we raised $10,737.00.  Punishers LEMC Ghost Town Chapter FL. all the ladies from their club and the Veritas ladies organized this poker run and we are proud to stand by their side.  We would like to thank the guys in their club that ran their asses off helping us whenever we needed something. There were times we needed something done and it was already done, they read our minds. They did an outstanding job. We would like to thank all the other Punisher Chapters for their support too. Thank you, Joe, The Bike Men of Flagler County, Inc.  for all the delicious food you cooked and to Crab Shack 386 for the Cole Slaw and all the different ladies that donated their delicious salads. Thank you, Nikki Robertson, once again for stepping in and volunteering.  Thank you to my girls at Crossroads Tavern for their hard work too. Thank you to all the different riding clubs that showed up and supported this poker run.  We would like to thank the local business for their generous donations Friends of The Bike Men of Flagler County, Andrew King Mobile Welding, Waterside Homes Renovation & Design, Tilton & Unger Insurance, A and S Hardware, Old Skool Bar, Charles Umpenhour Inc., Florida Podiatry, The Nurses at Halifax Adult Behavioral Services, Sunshine State Heating & Air Conditioning, Automation Logix and Harper Grace Foundation Corporation. Thank you to all the bars that participated in our Poker run Beach Front Grille, Saints and Sinners Pub, Sand Bar and The Pelican Pub  Most of all we would like to thank you our friends, family, our community, our customers without your continuous support we couldn’t have done this without all of you. Happy New Year to all and see you next year making Christmas Come True! ❤️ Janice and Marc Catoggio

By Lulu

The weather Gods did not smile down on the day of this ride. Torrential rain was projected, luckily for the children, Jim Lynch of Revelation 1 Concepts/Bike Show Mafia had put out boxes for collection of toys earlier in the month. Those who braved the severe weather mostly showed up in cars, trucks, and jeeps. A few of us rode from Broken Spoke to Sorry Charlie’s and mostly beat the rain. Other stops were canceled due to the weather. Sherry and Justin at the Broken Spoke hosted the registration and made yummy free pancakes and hot coffee. It was awesome! Once we arrived at Sorry Charlie’s, the firepit warmed our buns, and T. J. ordered an absolutely scrumptious and HUGE pork tenderloin sandwich. I think we fed five people off of it!!! Lots of children in Volusia County had a much nicer Christmas due to the generosity of those who gave, and to sponsors such as Kory Souza Originals, Faith Customs, Newsome Law, Twisted Tea, Broken Spoke and Sorry Charlie’s. The bike show that was scheduled for the day at Sorry Charlie’s had to be cancelled due to the storm, I am sure we will see Jim Lynch putting on a show in 2024!

By Lulu

So, Paul and Lisa Wane know how to throw one hell of a party. A biker destination was the party spot, Boogerville Hideout in Green Cove Springs. Ray came along for the ride just to get a Boogerville shirt! The event is geared towards children with face painting, Santa Claus, elves and Grinch and games. The first 150 kids get a gift bag with an event T-shirt, dinner voucher, toys and more. All proceeds benefit the community. Live music was by Rising Star and the young musicians and singers did a really good job. Guitars for Kids gave away a guitar to a teen boy who was speechless on stage. The vision for Rising Stars Guitars for Kids: “We envision communities united by the magic of music, where individuals are provided platforms that showcase their talents and bring their dreams to reality.” Well Paul and Lisa pulled it off on that day. Our posse on two wheels drove through torrential rain to get there, and as God would see fit within a half mile of the place the rain stopped and the field was dry. A great gift from heaven for Rockin for Stockins that day!

By Lulu

Each October Cotee River Bike Fest has one heck of a 3-day party. 3 stages rock with lots of great music. Vendors line Sims Park, Grand & Bank St. Downtown is closed for bikes only! I can’t say enough about how nice the police are at the event, keeping the peace and keeping us safe. This is a family friendly event and Tina Farrell makes this a charity rally. Bands like Hair of the Dog, Carpool (Car’s Tribute), and Welcome to Destruction (Guns N Roses tribute) entertained the crowds. Children enjoyed the park, face painting and snake handling! Minh from Venom Cycles puts on a bike show on Saturday with trophies by Fran Haasch. A bikini contest, Little Miss Biker Contest, Daisy Duke contest were held and to get the men involved a wet t-shirt contest…but this time the men got wet!

The Fire & Iron Chapter held their yearly poker run out of New Port Richey Harley-Davidson with stops at Starkey Market, The Drunken Mullet, and Get Hooked Grill. The winner donated the money back I believe! The proceeds went to Children’s Burn Foundation and Pasco Safety Town. A special thank you to the sponsors Harley-Davidson of New Port Richey, Team Farrell, Downtown New Port Richey, Doran, Beam & Farrell Pasco Law Team, Brown & Brown, Fran Haasch, Roman Plumbing, and Experience Florida’s Sports Coast for making this event possible. Next year’s event is scheduled for October 11th-13th!!! More photos of the event can be viewed on Thunder Roads Florida Facebook under album Cotee River Bike Fest 2023!

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By Lulu

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My second trip to Maggie Valley and the famous Wheels Through Time did not disappoint. Dale, the creator of this museum with decades of history has passed on and is riding the heavens now, but his son and a wonderful tour guide were on hand to make this an informative and great day. If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, you could spend all day here! They charge a fee of $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $7 for children, and each year they raffle off a beautiful bike which helps maintain the building and the display bikes! Not only will you see one-of-a-kind motorcycles, like the Traub, which was encased behind a wall in Chicago dated back to 1916 and discovered during a demo of the building in 1967. The history behind that one is a story you must have Andy Norris share when you take the tour. This museum, that Dale Walksler started in 1969 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, moved to Mt. Vernon, Illinois in 1977 and in 2002 made its way to Maggie Valley, NC. The 38,000 square food building is PACKED full of 300 + rare bikes and memorabilia all artfully displayed. I feel certain this isn’t my last trip to Wheels Through Time. If you aren’t headed to the mountains, visit their website where many interesting articles on their collection can be found.

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