The Southwest Chapter of ABATE hosted its annual ride to the Douglas T. Jacobson State Veteran’s Home on December 20th. More than 100 riders and passengers registered at Sun Sports Cycles for the ride to Port Charlotte. Participants were asked to bring sundry items (underwear, shirts, socks and shaving gear) in addition to the $5.00 token registration.

Special thanks to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office for providing escorts all the way to the Home.

Unlike years past when the riders and Veterans mingled together, shaking hands and so forth because of COVID-19 19 the participants kept their distance and exchanged pleasantries. The riders, some of whom are Veterans themselves, thanked the Veterans for their service and voiced Christmas greetings.

Under the direction of the Home’s new Administrator Renee DelMonico, the staff positioned each of the ambulatory Vets in one of the parking spots outside of the building, easily 6 feet apart. All the Vets and most of the riders were masked.

The Home is home to 120 Veterans, 112 men and 8 women. Were it not for this home some of these Veterans would be out on the street. Sad to say the visit by the riders will be the only visitors some of the Vets will get all year.

ABATE is a motorcycle and motorcyclists’ rights organization.

By Lulu

One of my best events to attend this year was my first trip to “The Swamp” located in Groveland, the home of the Nam Knights MC. One of the members known as Reply started this toy drive 7 years ago and incorporated it into their Christmas in the Swamp which was started one year earlier. The Lake County Chapter has 14 members and 1 prospect. What a difference 15 people can make. An amazing free Christmas dinner was served in the afternoon for a donation of one unwrapped toy. MC’s from all over were in attendance along with individual riders. This event was amazing in the number of toys under their tree. With Covid-19 I wouldn’t think people could be so generous, but that wasn’t the case in The Swamp. The need was surely greater for the children of Astatula, Mascotte and Groveland and Santa came in the form of generous bikers answering the call of The Nam Knights to be good little elves!

Vietnam Vets are Americans of the best kind!!! I know many so I can say this with my own personal knowledge. Not only did they fight in jungles in a far away land, watching many of their “brothers” lose their lives fighting; then due to civil unrest and spoiled brat college kids, they faced criticism and hate upon their return. Most people would be bitter and have hatred in their hearts, but no, they love this land we call home. They love the freedom that they fought to provide for South Vietnam. And now they spend their retirement still giving of themselves. I am honored to have spent the day with these guys and their friends. If you live in the Leesburg/Clermont/Orlando area look for this event next year…take a day to get to know these good men and be Santa for a child in need. You will be glad you did…

The Nam Knights have 15 Florida Chapters and 74 Chapters through the U.S. and Canada. They continue to serve their country through community service. 2021 Christmas in the Swamp is scheduled for Saturday, December 11th.

So, 2021 is here. We all hope for a better year than last. The reality does not look so promising, frankly. 2020 brought us Covid-19 and lockdowns, the spring and summer brought us BLM and ANTIFA riots that seemed to have the blessing of the left and the leadership in those liberal cities and communities, the fall brought us voting fraud accusations and the loss of the election for us Trump supporters who are now being silenced by big tech and told by TV journalists we need to be deprogrammed! Last year was a circus. The vaccines gave us hope for 2021 and spoon-feeding stimulus checks tried to keep people in need afloat. I suppose they also think handing checks out to the rich is only fair, as the deficit soars. I just heard Governor Cuomo wants to legalize recreational pot to balance their budget. Guess that is something for the left to look forward to. If they are stoned, they will not notice the tax increase Biden will be handing out. Good thing they cannot silence me here, I keep getting notices from Facebook that I go against their doctrine. Geez I feel sorry for my children and grandchildren. 2021 will begin the four-year March toward Socialism…Google, Facebook and Twitter have taken the first giant step for mankind in the wrong frigging direction! Oh, I know my liberal friends and relatives think I am wrong. I hope the hell I am. But on the horizon, I see higher taxes, higher gas prices, masks, infiltration of immigrants, more homeless, more riots by people who think we do not need police yet hide between seats in the Capitol waiting for the police to save them and then put razor fencing up to keep WE THE PEOPLE away from them, homes to be built without windows, and people hiding guns that our constitution guarantees our rights to. Not thinking 2021 will be better. In my humble opinion, it will be worse because I will have to watch Biden fumble for words and Pelosi gloat that she retains that damn gavel.

On a positive note, spring is coming, and we still are free to ride! We have so many fun events coming up. Treasure Fest in Stuart, Midwest Motorcycle Party at the Beaver Bar in Ormond Beach, Thunder by the Bay in Sarasota…guess there will not be much time to watch Biden and Pelosi! Get on your bikes and explore new parts of Florida, join us on a Mystery Ride sometime this year and don’t forget your sunscreen.

By Raven

Cruzin Eddie’s on the river at 850019 Highway 17, Yulee, held their 2nd anniversary party on November 1st. Big Engine rocked the house, and a food truck was on hand for all who were hungry. Ed and Jane Redmond, the owners, were on hand greeting old and new friends. Come on out and enjoy the outside TV or the fire pit, with live bands on Sundays. And in case you didn’t know, they have great sunsets!!

By Lulu

Thought we would run some more winners of the Biketoberfest Chopper Time 2020 to remind all that on Thursday, March 11th the spring bike show is a not to miss event!! Come out and enjoy great music, awesome bike art and beer. Proceeds benefit Willie’s favorite causes! And you just might want to get a tattoo from the best artists anywhere!!

By Lulu

I have been blessed in life with healthy children and grandchildren. I can not imagine what parents go through when their kids are diagnosed with serious medical problems…add to that if they can’t really afford needed care for them. Angel Flight gives wings to people who have medical needs in distant cities or states, and they can’t afford to fly to the transplant, treatment or procedure. Each year Heather and the staff at Dirty Harry’s has continued to put on the Angel Flight Ride that started years ago at The White Eagle. Rue & Ziffra law firm has continued to sponsor this worthy cause. Other sponsors include Daytona Estate Jewelers, Miller Lite, Daytona Sportswear, Worldwide Safety, The Rock of Daytona, Gabby & Co. Salon, Debbie Clark, and K. Doll Koating. The ride started this year at the Beaver Bar with the yummy $5 breakfast buffet which happens every Sunday morning. Next stop was Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson, a little confusion occurred at this stop when people were trying to check in at Saints & Sinners and have a beer, but the actual stop was inside the Harley dealership. A stop at The Ice House in Bunnell and Cheyenne Saloon in Palatka kept the masses from being thirsty! Then we stopped at Renegade’s on The River in Crescent City for cocktails and music by the St. John’s River. Dale’s Ales in Orange City was the final stop for us where Adam Jaymes was rocking the new stage out back. The final official stop was Dirty Harry’s for their free BBQ and music by Diesel, we had a prior commitment that night and could not make it, but more pictures are posted on our Facebook page at Thunder Roads Florida.

By Lulu

The guys and gals behind Twisted Evolution Motorcycle Shoppe in Bushnell must be doing something right! In spite of a steady rain, the street was lined with motorcycles that rode in to celebrate the shoppes anniversary with a fabulous BBQ by Sticky Fingers Smoke Company. The owners were throwing the party to thank their customers, yet those in attendance were telling me how thankful they are that Twisted Evolution is in the business of keeping them up on two wheels with throttles cranking. The owner of the BBQ company, Sam Thompson, had just moved down from Ohio and said, “there is no one else I would trust my bikes with”. Add to that, they are just really nice people. The shoppe is kept clean and orderly and there are always bikes up on the lifts. They provide routine service and repairs on Harleys from 1984 and up. Twisted Evolution is a family run shop. Fred Rudat and Neil Fullilove are both graduates of Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Orlando, along with Crystal and Adam they keep the place humming. They offer discounts to military veterans and first responders. Extended warranty work is not a problem and Twisted Evolution keeps most common size tires for your Harley-Davidson motorcycle in stock. Located at 212 N. Main Street in Bushnell. Twisted Evolution has no delusions of grandeur or of being that custom build shop, they just want to wrench on bikes and make your riding a safe pleasure. They are closed Sundays and Wednesdays. Hours of operation are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9a-6p and Saturday 10a-2p. Stop in and visit if you are in the Bushnell area. The phone number for Twisted Evolution is 352-617-5224

By Lulu

In conjunction with Leesburg, Janice at Stormy Hill Harley-Davidson in Clermont threw a fall bike fest complete with vendors, live music, demo rides and bikini bike wash girls. After months of being locked down to varying degrees people were itching for a reason to ride and there are beautiful roads to ride in central Florida. The showroom at Stormy Hill was full of shoppers and the bands out back were conveniently located next to the full liquor bar…good stuff! Stormy Hill always has monthly events so check their ads in Thunder Roads Florida or follow their calendar at StormyHillHarley.com.

By Lulu

Jan and the crew at Gator Harley-Davidson in Leesburg went the extra mile to pull off a rescheduled Leesburg Bike Fest substitution! The spring rally was closed out due to Covid-19 and then was planned to be rescheduled for the fall. When plans for that did not materialize, Jan put her rally hat on and pulled off a great 3-day weekend with live music, vendors, food, and full bar. The property was packed. Not only were the vendors and bands thrilled to have a place to try to recoup some of the lost revenue from the lock down of 2020; the riders were chomping at the bit to have someplace to go!! Thank you, Gator for trying to give us a sense of normalcy to end the year!!

By Lulu

Thunder Beach Rally occurs twice a year…God willing! Between COVID-19 and hurricanes they have had a string of hard luck with cancellations. Last minute, the city decided to let “the show go on”! Of course, Thunder Beach Productions had to jump through the Covid hoops of masks, hand sanitizers, no big bands, no tents for large gathering, etc.!!! But the city was smarter than the City of Daytona Beach who tried to cancel Biketoberfest…and then Ormond Beach picked up the ball knowing full well bikers were coming COVID or not! So it was for Panama City Beach. I was surprised with the last-minute revival of the fall rally how many bikers made the trip to one of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S. With not having the big stage in Frank Brown park, the Ms. Panama City contest was held at Hammerhead Fred’s and the Harley giveaway was held at Harley-Davidson of Panama City Beach. The vendors were happy to have a venue to sell their wares I am sure. One of the biggest events was the Sound Contest at Frank Brown at night, featuring amazing bikes and sound systems! The rain on Saturday cancelled the memorial ride for a fallen officer Kevin Kight, but many still weathered the storm and I took a group shot of those who were there to honor his memory. Officer Kight’s wife and son were there and were thankful for those who came. His young son has followed in his footsteps and is a police officer now. The bike show was also cancelled due to the rainstorm. A special shout out to Holiday Inn Resort for wonderful accommodations!! The pool, room and view are amazing! By springtime, the new Lazy River beachside they are building to add to the resort should be complete. Book your room for the spring rally now! The dates are April 28-May 2…make this your 2021 vacation!!

By Lulu

Biketoberfest was a little weird this year, with COVID-19 keeping Main Street from being the hub of Biketoberfest we were able to take a day for exploring the outskirts on two-wheels. We had about 15 people join us for a day of riding and left from the parking lot of Babe’s Blue Room in Ormond Beach to head out to Renegade’s on the River in Crescent City on CR 309. If you are planning a trip to Bike Week or Biketoberfest and love to ride pretty country roads with little traffic you simply must check out some of the stops we made. Renegade’s is a beautiful St. John’s river front R.V. and cabin rental resort with huge tiki bar, great food and often live music. The day we were there, Outbreak (OBK) had the crowd’s attention! See their ad for dates and time for live music, and their Tuscan style pizza is delicious. Renegade’s always fill up early so book now. Donnie is opening 16 additional RV spots in 2021.

Our next stop was Long’s Log Cabin in Welaka, where we had mouth-watering hot pretzels and a few stiff ones. Tonya and Waylon love to see new people ride in on 2 wheels. They are one of the few bar owners that get on their bikes and ride with us!

With rains potentially coming in, we had to scoot up and make our next stop at Hermit’s Cove in Satsuma, where we sat for a bit in the theater seating and watched the river flow by. This bar is one of those infamous dive bars that you simply must find!

The next stop was Howlin’ Wolf in Melrose right on 100. New owners, Mark and James, keep the beer cold and the drinks strong. The bartenders couldn’t be nicer!

Trying to get home before dark we had to make our way to what was to be our last stop before ending at Iron Horse Saloon for a great band 4 Play. Whenever we are in the Palatka area we stop in at our friend’s Donnie and Amy’s bar 3-D Saloon! We just love these two barkeeps! Amy brings original live music to Palatka so follow them on Facebook.
As we headed for Iron Horse Saloon the skies opened up and we had to DIVE into The Bimini on rt. 100. The wetness kept us there long enough that we missed 4 Play and by the time we got to the Iron Horse, Cowboy was on stage. We honestly couldn’t have had better people to ride with…most were from Brooksville and I was impressed that they were willing to ride out and explore rather than just stay on Main Street. One of the girls, Kim manages Rebar in Brooksville, so if you are on her coast stop in and say hi!

By Lulu

Chopper Time is always one of my favorite events of the year. To begin with I love the “old school” look of motorcycles. I love that unlike cars, people put a personal touch on any bike they own, but Choppers are an extension of the owner’s personality and creativity. At the time I needed to go to print with this I still didn’t have the winners list and decided I would run half of the pictures in this issue and Part 2 in February. On site at Willie’s there is just too much to look at with scantily clothed biker girls, great skin art, always new bikes that I haven’t seen at other events across the state and then all my old and new friends!! Add to that, great music and alcohol, and it is hard for me to stay on task…
One thing that I really want to stress is that this event happens Bike Week and Biketoberfest always on Thursdays and Willie raises money for charity with the beer sales. Willie is very pro Veterans and Biketoberfest alcohol sales went to the Veterans Support Fund. So, when you come…drink up and help out our vets. For all the photos of Chopper Time 2020 please go to Thunder Roads Florida Facebook and find the Chopper Time 2020 album.

Dennis  Hernandez

So, what’s the difference between BI and UM coverage, and
why should you have these coverages on your vehicle
insurance?

Essentially, bodily injury (BI) cover other people’s injuries, and uninsured
motorist (UM) cover your own injuries. Both BI and UM insurance coverage are
not required by the state of Florida. Since they’re not required, you may be
inclined to think you don’t really need them. However, both types of coverage
are important to protect you if you’re ever involved in an accident. BI pays for
the serious injury or death in an accident where you’re at fault to some degree. If
someone sues you for an accident, they will be going after your BI insurance
instead of you and your personal assets.

UM pays for your injuries when another driver is at fault and doesn’t have BI
coverage or any insurance at all. If an at-fault driver has insurance, but not
enough to cover your injuries, but not enough to cover your injuries, you can
make a claim under you own UM policy to save you from paying out of pocket.
Florida has the highest rate of uninsured drivers in the nation. If you’re involved
in an accident, there is a 1 in 4 chance the other party won’t have insurance.
That means there’s a 1 in 4 chance you will need to make a claim under your
own UM policy to cover your injuries. With the average cost for a crash
resulting in a non-capacitating injury coming out to $21,000 you won’t want to
be paying those costs out of pocket. Florida has the highest rate of motorcycle
accidents in the country, but that fact won’t keep us from riding. Make sure you
have the right kind of coverage to protect yourself, regardless of who’s at fault
in an accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, call Dennis Hernandez &
Associates, P.A.

It has been a bit since I have bragged about how wonderful and generous motorcycle people are…but this year during the Covid holidays they didn’t let me down. Not only are the riders who show up at events all over the country quick to pull their wallets out for any worthy cause…the bars, riding groups and dealerships that do the work behind the rides and events give their time and dollars to help people. This year I saw trees with unwrapped toys and bikes at almost everyone of our ad clients. You may say well the bars and dealerships do it to get people on their property. If that is their motive all they would need to do is giveaway food or beer! Nope! All the hardworking bar owners and managers of bars or dealerships genuinely enjoy giving back to the communities they live in. The smiles on the faces of the Rossmeyer’s while hosting the Ride for Children is contagious. Jan at Gator Harley works her butt off for all types of charitable causes. I just attended an amazing gathering of veterans at the Nam Knight’s Clubhouse in Groveland that collected more toys than I have seen in one spot! Just this month we have ridden for a few bikers that are fighting the original “Big C”…Cancer not Covid. And on those rides, even more than the money, it is the gathering of people for them that lifts their spirits and gives power to their fight.

My prayer for the New Year is that the Democrats and Republicans can meet in the middle and give relief to the people who are having trouble keeping their businesses afloat. We don’t need to give money to illegals as part of this (Democrats). We don’t need to promise no lawsuits as part of this (Republicans). We simply need to take care of those in this country in need just long enough for this vaccine to put an end to this pandemic.

I also want to thank every ad client, that continued to be a part of our Thunder Roads Florida family and kept us in print through a difficult year. Their support allows us to bring the biker lifestyle and events coverage to those who love to ride. Please let them know you read Thunder Roads Florida and that is how you found them.

Call someone that is stuck inside due to Covid, tip a bit more on that liquid the bartender slings you and don’t forget your sunscreen!