By Lulu

We all wake up and get on with our day, never knowing what the day will bring, but expecting the status quo. So was the day of Cochise Chop’s 100th Edition party at The Boot Hill. People from all over jumped on their bikes planning to enjoy the music, free food, and to help Cochise celebrate. We were heading there from Port Orange. Cap, Willie, Bill & Jade, and others all were heading south down A1A to Main Street to join in the festivities when a drunk bitch came out of a one-way (going the wrong way) on to Main Street and plowed into Willie. Luckily, he had his helmet on, but the blunt force of being thrown into a pole crushed his ribs and punctured his lung.

Multiple surgeries, near misses with heaven and then a fierce chest infection would have taken weaker men out. I am sure he has used up one of his nine lives; Willie is such a “cool cat” he certainly has 8 left! Unfortunately, although he is getting stronger and has survived…more surgeries are needed to repair his chest injuries. Months out of work, medical bills, etc. prompted Cap and friends to do multiple events to help. The Poker Run for Willie was organized by Cap, then tragically he died on his bike prior to the run. But the show must go on and the group Cap had put in place to put the run together pulled off a phenomenally successful day.

The ride started at The Dog House with free donuts by Krispy Kreme. Next stop was The Iron Horse, I am sure some great Bloody Mary’s were consumed at this World-Famous stop. On to A1A to the Sea Drift, a huge bar in Ormond by The Sea. Back on the bikes to ride to Holly Hill and see the girls at The Hideout Lounge who donated an amazing gift basket for the raffle. Final stop was OB’s, which is one of Willie’s and Cap’s favorite places as they both live nearby and the staff treat them like kings! OB’s provided free food and Rob and the gang donated ALL the money to the kitty for Willie. Hot Action donated 200 t-shirts and every one of the shirts were sold that day!

The winner of the 50/50 and best hand also donated their winnings. A favorite band of Willie’s, Jacksonville Slim and Express Train played their hearts out for the huge crowd. There are just too many people to thank here for their generous support, but I do want to thank Crossroad Tavern in Bunnell who not only donated 3 large baskets but also is contributing to the next event. Thank you, Janice!!! Next big event planned by Iron Horse Saloon in Ormond Beach is the Willie-Palooza Concert on Sat. August 28th. $10 admission will all go to Willie and the bands include Reed Foley Band, Jacksonville Slim and Express Train, Miss Intent, & Cowboy the Kid Rock Tribute Band. Gates open at noon with the headliner playing at 8pm. Hope to see you ALL there!

This is a short “Tale” as we ended up with a new ad client that I needed to make space for. Also, we are heading to Sturgis with my friend, Jeani, and much going on to prepare. What I want to say here is for any of you who haven’t found our Facebook page, Thunder Roads Florida, we post photos of all events there and even if you haven’t made the printed pages of the magazine, you may find yourself there. The Albums are listed by event or by locale. We will also be posting photos of Sturgis and would love you to follow our escapades there. Too Broke for Sturgis at Pirate’s Pub in Paisley is on August 7th. Don’t forget the event at the end of the month for Willie in Ormond Beach at the Iron Horse Saloon on August 28th. It is an all-day music event for $10 which will all go to Willie! Be there or be square!! Put Sturgis on your calendar for next year, explore a new highway and don’t forget your sunscreen.

By Lulu

The HOG group from the Harley dealership in New Smyrna on 44 has a monthly bike night the first Thursday of each month. The one coming up in August will be August 5th. As part of the evening of fellowship they serve up food and in July donated their kitty to Willie for his recovery fund. A great group of people take a Thursday evening and ride in to New Smyrna H-D to support these guys and gals!

By Lulu

Rhonda, her awesome crew, Mischief Makes and wonderful volunteers made Memorial Day Weekend benefit local veterans through the Veterans Support Fund. Registration began at The Dog House with stops that included Iron Horse Saloon, Big Tunas, Dirty Harry’s Pub, and the Iron Axe Bar & Grill. Big Engine rocked the after party at The Dog House. Rhonda has more energy than the Energizer Bunny. The Dog House under Rhonda’s control has become one of the most community-oriented bars in Volusia County. Ride in for one of their Wednesday Bike Nights or their Customer Appreciation BBQs, see their ad in Thunder Roads or find them on Facebook to find out what is on their agenda!

By Lulu

Cap invited me to a church in Holly Hill hosting a pancake breakfast for Willie after his accident. Cap was bragging about this church and was excited to have me attend. As a Catholic I am used to a bit more pomp and ritual at a church service. This church was casual, welcoming, as if you were coming to their home for breakfast. In fact, when you enter, the first thing you see in the hallway is a sign saying, “Jesus’ Garage”. The breakfast being held for Willie was awesome. The short service was moving. Bikers are about brotherhood and this church is all about “motorcycle riders reaching other motorcycle riders for Jesus Christ”. Their logo states “Redeemed Forever”. There is a real feeling of acceptance and forgiveness among the members. Big Jim Nolan, Bobby C and Frankie keep the church active with community outreach at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona H-D on 2nd Sunday 8:30a-noon on the day of their Swap Meet. The 3rd Sunday they hold a service at Iron Horse Saloon at 10:30a. The 4th Sunday RCBC has a Pancake Breakfast and service at 8a at their church. The first Thursday of the month they do a Bike Night at the church at 6pm with hot dogs and music from 6-9p, and the rest of the Thursdays during the month they have Bible study at 7pm.Their weekly service at the church is Saturday nights at 6:30p.The encourage you to come early and stay late! The physical location is 555 8th St., Holly Hill.

If you are looking for a church where leathers are more than welcomed you should join in on celebrating God with people just like you! And thank you RCBC for helping our brother Willie in his time of need.

By Raven Van Pelt

The American Legion Riders Chapter 9 and their host partners Flamingo Lake RV Resort and Dick’s Winds (ARC Group), in support of K9s For Warriors Foundation, Project Vet Relief, Mission 22, the Florida Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund, Wreaths Across America and Trees for America’s Troops, hosted the 8th Annual Boots on the Ground Poker Run and Concert, Saturday May 8th, 2021. The purpose and mission of these organizations are to assist and support our Veterans, their families and to memorialize those that have fallen in combat or service to this country. This year’s event had 805 bikes and 989 registered riders, and after expenses raised over $60,000 for the organizations we support. Over 2,500 military combat boots and fire fighters’ boots were displayed throughout the park displaying a flag, and picture of a fallen warrior with their name, rank, service age, hometown, and date of death. Registration started at 9am with the Side Project B Pipe and Drums band, Jason Evans Band at noon, City of Bridges at 3:30pm and Fratello at 7pm, There was a flyover by the Dreamland Squadron at 1100 hours followed by a Car Show sponsored by Callahan Cruisers of NE FL. Riders had their choice of 12 different routes stopping at 44 poker stops all throughout Nassau County and Jacksonville. There were over 30 vendors and other great activities for the whole family. Not only is this the largest motorcycle poker run in NE Florida is without a doubt the best motorcycle event I have attended. And for those who did not make it to this year’s Boots on the Ground, all I can say is it is an event you don’t want to miss next year. Thank you to all who made this such a great event.

By Deborah Speicher

After fifteen years of having one of the best women’s event, Gator Harley-Davidson really outdid themselves on June 26! The great Mardi Gras theme, all ladies ride, speakers, vendors, food, FREE back massages, raffle prizes, fashion show and games, provided attendees with a day of fun.

Our favorite leather smith, Marge Williams, was back to talk about how to care for your leather and properly roll up your chaps. One of Gator’s own techs, Luke Jefferson, gave us some great tips on keeping up the maintenance on our motorcycles, riding in the rain, tire pressure and much more.

Much thanks to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office who led our lady riders on a scenic, escorted tour of the area. All the more reason to “back the blue”!

Once again, the fashion show exhibited how H-D offers clothing that is stylish for all ages and sizes.
I must admit, when I heard that the main feature for the day was a hypnotist, I was suspect. But TWY James was incredible and extremely entertaining. I could have watched him for hours!

Kudos to Jan Wilde Wideman and the Gator Harley-Davidson staff, LCSO, and all the vendors and speakers. Look for more information for the next women’s event which will be March 2022. See you next year!

By Lulu

Sometimes what makes a cool joint has nothing to do with a view of the water or a unique building…it is the soul of the business! Mark the owner of Mark’s Sports Pub at 2045 S. Ridgewood Ave. in South Daytona has a caring, loving soul. When I first met Mark, he was putting on a run for a friend of many in the bar business, Bobby Graves, and I knew he really cared for the man. Mark also was one of the first to help organize the Bars R Essential when Covid kept the doors of bars closed for way too long. He is always happy to be part of runs or benefits for locals! The other important thing that sets Mark’s apart is great Rock N Roll music. He always brings in great live groups on Friday & Saturday nights. Now he has started a Sunday open jam with Gunshy, which will feature singers, songwriters, covers and originals. Now, here is the “really COOL” part of this. A portion of the sales from these Sundays will benefit local law enforcement agencies…music to Back the Blue!!! I just love this guy!!! The Sunday jam session is from 2-6pm.

Along with music, Mark’s is a full liquor bar with ice cold beer. On Tuesday evenings they have poker, Wednesdays karaoke, Thursdays Pokeroke (poker night with awesome karaoke) and on Sundays at 2pm more poker. The karaoke is brought to you by Drew the Karaoke Man who has a fantastic sound system that makes everyone sound good! They have some of the best bartenders in town and the bar has an awesome family of regulars, but Mark loves to see new faces on bikes ride in. Another super cool thing at Mark’s is the prices stay the same all year, no Bike Week gouging at this bar! Mark’s is open 7 days a week from 10am-2am so ride out and support a local businessman who gives back to our community! The bar is still a smoking bar for those of you who haven’t given up the habit. Mark and his beautiful wife Jill also have another bar in Port Orange, Mark & Jill’s Village Tavern at 5263 S. Nova Rd.

By Lulu

Anyone who knows me knows Thunder Beach is my favorite Florida rally, The first reason is I am a panhandle girl. Most of my life I lived in Pensacola so my first rally was Thunder Beach. Second, I love the beach and there aren’t prettier beaches anywhere, and third I absolutely love our hotel in Panama City Beach which is the awesome Holiday Inn Resort. Add to that the weather was perfect, the bikini contest girls for both age groups were hot, and the music all over town was rocking.

There is also a park full of vendors of every kind including our friends at Sanity Jewelry, Twisted Tea, and Custom Lighting EFX. Covid has altered many things and this event is one of them. The rally was more condensed as Frank Brown Park was the main venue for vendors, bike and sound shows, and the events music line up. I liked that better as it saved us from running to make deadlines at several different locales with traffic always a bit of a problem.

The other venues this year included Harley-Davidson of Panama City Beach who gave a new Harley away the final Saturday evening. Hammerhead Fred’s hosted the Ms. & Miss Panama City Beach contests and featured Buckwild a rally favorite band. Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant was packed and are known for great food and this year featured Clay Musgrave and Roadhouse ATL. The Sandpiper Beach Resort brought Mustang Sally in Wednesday through Saturday and Tobi rocked the house. The music this year at Frank Brown was under the beer tent and included Jasmine Cain, Big Engine, Tim Watson, Bigwig, and tribute bands Highway to Hell and Never Stop Believing a Journey tribute. The fall event is scheduled for October 20-24 and the spring 2022 event is April 27-May 1st. Put it on your schedule for a great weekend.

By Lulu

Since the pandemic we never know what to expect at the events we attend, some are poorly attended or even cancelled. Eustis Music Fest was a pleasant surprise! It has certainly grown and has spilled from the waterfront park into the city streets with 3 stages of live music, vendors, and bike and sound competitions hosted by Radical Randy. We love the waterfront park with the cool breeze coming in off the lake! A friend had suggested Tilley’s for lunch and the burger and Reuban sandwich was amazing! I have to say the small town of Eustis stepped up to the plate to put on a wonderful 3-day rally, and by the size of the crowd bikers were happy to stroll the streets and enjoy the chance to be out listening to music again!

By Lulu

Mark and Kerilyn Hinds are entrepreneurs of a cutting-edge kind. Not only is their jewelry line exceptionally crafted out of 316L surgical stainless steel; their unique knife collections are a combination of 2 high carbon steels, 15N20 and 1095. These Damascus knives are forged and folded up to 512 layers to make them incredibly strong. The knives are pieces of art! You might expect that from a jewelry line, but not knives. If you know a knife collector this should be your call for that birthday or Christmas gift. The handles of the knives can be made of either Buffalo Horn, Elk Antler, Camel Bone, or wood such as American Mahogany. Just beautiful!

Along with all types of jewelry for men and women including skull and biker rings, they also carry a line of wallet chains, Guardian Bells, pendants, and crosses. You must see their collection to see the unmatched detail in the work of their lines.

Mark and Kerilyn started Sanity in 2015. They just celebrated six successful years in business. They have a brick-and-mortar store in Grant, Florida at 5185 S. US Highway 1, overlooking the beautiful Indian River. The showroom is open Monday-Saturday 11am-8pm and
Sundays 11am-6pm. You can always give them a call at 321-271-5134.

The Sanity Crew travels the motorcycle rally circuit. We see them at Thunder by the Bay, Thunder Beach, Daytona Bike Week, and Biketoberfest in Florida. They will be in Sturgis at The Legendary Knuckle Saloon on the corner of Lazelle and First Street, 931 First St. If you aren’t heading to Sturgis, you can find them online at SanityJewelry.com.

Mark and Kerilyn love the world this new business has them living in. They love to ride and they love to meet new friends in the places they travel. Stop in at a rally, visit their store in Grant or find them on the web. They are the great American dream and the real deal!

By Lulu

There are all types of things we celebrate as humans. Births, baptisms, birthdays, new jobs, graduation, weddings, even the purchasing of a new bike…but celebrating the life of someone who has left us here on Earth while he flies in heaven is bittersweet. Cap Wilson lost his life on his motorcycle June 2nd. Since his passing, angels in human form have been swarming around us! Some knew Cap and Suzy well; some barely knew him at all. All of us that rode south with Cap from St. Augustine never expected the news that Cap left us that night, that the hard hug he gave me before mounting up would be his last, that my words “be careful” would be my last said to my friend.

The next morning, I found out I had missed Suzy’s call as my phone was still in the bike. I feel sad about that, and angry with myself for not being able to take her call. Pam, Joe, Janice, Mark, T.J., and I were just stunned at hearing Cap was gone. Almost instantly the calls started coming wanting to help Suzy. Waylon from Long’s Log Cabin called, David & Shireen Fletcher called next, Royce and Laurie were out at Suzy’s already and I was relieved to hear that. Then the calls became too much to even remember. First off, Cap oversaw the run coming up 6/20 for Willie so there were calls and scrambling trying to keep that from falling apart…CAP would not have allowed it! Second, arrangements had to be made for Cap and no one wanted Suzy to have to deal with that…thank you David and Shireen, the absolute best of angels on Earth.

Kristi from OB’s offered her help in anyway; and ended up being the host of the Celebration of Life donating all the dinner sales and MUCH more. All ANGELS. So, the decision was made to celebrate Cap the only way he would have wanted… at OB’s Bike Night in Deland. And the gathering of ANGELS on BIKES began. Hundreds of people rode into OBs to honor Cap, to hold Suzy, to raise some funds and to just be able to go home knowing they added feathers to their wings. Glenn from Crashrocket opened the service with an emotionally charged acoustic rendition of Cap’s favorite song Simple Man.

Willie Jones from Tropical Tattoo surprised us with his first visit out since his hospitalizations, still a bit weak, he felt a need to be with us all. A short sermon from the Redemption Community Biker Church brought us all to tears and let us know we are all God’s children. I just have to say thank you to so many for so much. Can’t possibly name them all, but mostly thank you to Cap for bringing this group together and sharing miles on the highway, sharing his love on Earth with us all and for watching over us from the highways of heaven. And to everyone who made Suzy’s life a little easier by showing so much love!