By Lulu

On a beautiful day in July daring to gather motorcycling enthusiasts together in spite of Covid, Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson put on a Street Glide Bike Show with classes that included; paint, sound, lights, pipes, Best in Show, Best Bagger, Best Wheel and a few more. One of our clients and friend, Karl from Volks Audio was in the show and was happy to go home with the Best in Show trophy for sound . We are featuring him as our Biking Business feature in this issue. By far his sound was loud and clean. Should be with 24 speakers!! Mandy and Shelley Rossmeyer were on hand to register the entries and for trophy presentation. Not to laugh at the wounded but watching Mandy push Shelley around in a wheelchair while wearing a walking boot made for a chuckle or two. Mandy hurt a leg while dirt biking and Shelley stepped off a boat and is awaiting surgical correction! Get well soon you two! Get into the showroom before September 5th, as they are giving 3 bikes away and no purchase is necessary to enter! More photos of the day are on Thunder Roads Florida Facebook.

By Jan Wideman

Saturday, July 18th Gator Harley-Davidson celebrated 27 amazing years in business. During the party we held a Tattoo Contest. Binx, owner of Style and Grace Modern Electric Tattooing Leesburg sponsored the Men’s and Ladies tattoo contest. With Binx, John Malik, Jr and Keith (Slapshot) Totten assisted with the judging. Binx gave the 1st place winners, both men’s and ladies a $100 gift certificate to Style & Grace. Gator H-D gave to the 2nd place winners a $50 GHD gift card and the 3rd place winners received a $25 GHD gift card. The judges had their work cut out for them as each contestant had amazing tattoos with interesting stories behind them. They were judged on: *Quality *Originality *Artwork * Over All Layout.

The winners in the men’s division were 1st Place-Stephen Malmrose 2nd Place-Tony Vick and 3rd Place-Shawn Fitzpatrick. The winners in the ladies’ division were 1st Place-Nellie Elizondo 2nd Place-Ellen Winans and 3rd Place-Robyn Stack. Congratulations to all the winners. Thank you to all the participants that entered the tattoo contest.

The Malik family opened Gator Harley-Davidson 27 years ago right down the road in a small shop. John Malik Jr. thanks all his customers, friends, and family for supporting them for the past 27 years. It was a great day at Gator Harley listening to Hypersona on the Fran Haasch Law Group stage, grabbing a bite to eat and enjoying an ice cold beverage from the Lake Co. Firefighters, visiting the vendors and checking out all the great stuff inside the Dealership. Customer Appreciation was a big hit inside with 20% off licensed product and aftermarket P&A. The sales staff welcomed 4 new Harley-Davidson owners also on Saturday.

A big Thank You goes to our Sponsors Fran Haasch Law Group and Budweiser for the Raffle Package we had for Josie McBride. We raised over the week and during the event $1521.00 in ticket sales for the raffle and another $145.00 in cash donations not to mention (2) checks in the amount of $400 as donations.

Marg was inside sewing away, patch after patch and altering leathers for folks.

Congratulations to Kelly Montgomery for winning the 50/50 and giving it back to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. A big congratulations to Michele Gentles for winning the Raffle Package which included a kick ass cooler and beach chairs.

Thank you to each and every one of you for coming out and celebrating our Anniversary with us.

I received a nasty message from an old friend I have known over 40 years chastising my selfish, risky behavior for attending the 80th Sturgis Bike Rally. Basically, she was telling me my behavior was suicidal if not homicidal and demanding I not visit our hometown of Pensacola potentially infecting and killing her family.

This is a dear friend who has had some risky viral behavior of her own in her past! Some will probably agree with her. In fact, there wasn’t much mask wearing in South Dakota. The crowds were down but still huge. I can’t really say social distancing was followed at concert venues either. But on a motorcycle, riding the Black Hills, you mostly are six feet from everyone, except Bison! I may come down with Covid from this wonderful time in the mountains. I might have come down with Covid from standing in line at the pharmacy before I left. We used hand sanitizer, wore masks where it was required, but we risked the disease and I will tell you why. Vendors are nearly broke from all the cancelled events. The little town of Sturgis with its 7500 residents and the surrounding small-town USA spots are accustomed to the rallies boost to their income.

The state of South Dakota weighed the risk. We weighed the risk. We suffered the 3-day truck ride. We got on our dangerous two wheeled transport and rode those twisties looking down steep cliffs knowing less experienced riders could take us out at any minute. We came face to face with bison, and in fact one lady who weighed the risk, even though signs posted told her not to, suffered the insult of being knocked out (unconscious) and knocked out of her pants for her bad decision of getting off her bike and approaching a baby bison. We all suffer consequences of our choices in life. My choice was simple. Live life as if there is no tomorrow. If I die of a bike wreck so be it. If I die of a bison attack so be it. If I die of Covid so be it. If you are afraid of normal living stay home, wear a mask, goggles, and gloves, don’t eat out, ask for an absentee ballot, and use hand sanitizer. If all that works you won’t have to fear me or my bad choices. In the end something will kill us, that is just a fact. But if going to one of the most spectacular places on Earth for a trip of a lifetime or standing in line at my local Wal-Mart are my choices…I am choosing the trip!

Get on your bike and find a new highway, use your hand sanitizer, and don’t forget your sunscreen!

By Lulu

When I first started bike riding, I loved the sound of the bike, it was almost the sound of a horse’s trot. Then Bull upgraded his stroked-out Heritage to an Ultra Classic complete with a sound system. We would ride all over the country listening to his CD’s mostly cut by biker bands he knew from somewhere USA. Fast forward 15 years, now there are sound contests and systems that blow your skirt up, like Marilyn over the sidewalk grate. The first time I experienced that heart hurting booming sound coming from a bike was at the Casa Marina in Key West. A sound off by the Cartel Baggers was going on poolside and one of the competitors cracked his fiberglass from the extreme sound. Now people are seeking out sound experts to make their rides competition worthy.

Karl Biancardi has been tinkering with sound since his childhood. Even as a teen he DJ’d and made mixes for his school. At 18 he rented an office for $220 a month and had his first enterprise known as Stereo, Electronics and Gold Exchange in Deltona, Florida. Since 1989 he has had a business known as Volks Audio. Taking some time away from that, Karl spent 15 years in the bar business in the Deland area with JR’s Saloon, H2 Bar, Buck Wild Bar & Grill and H3 Envy. While trying his hand in nightclubs…music and sound was still a big part of it.

Finally deciding he had enough of the bar owner life, Karl went back to what he loves most SOUND. His business based out of Orange City installs and creates custom sound systems for cars, boats, homes, and motorcycles. We were at Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson when he took first place for sound with his green Street Glide’s system. This bike has 24 speakers and delivers what he promises; loud sound “clean as a whistle”. The systems he installs on a bike can run from $1,500 to $30,000 and can take from 1 week to 1 month to install. Karl carries PRV Audio, SOUNDDIGITAL, LimiTless Battery and Voodoo Bags. His business has grown so quickly that he is in the process of moving to his new larger facility still in the Orange City area. Every show he enters he get bikes or boats from people hearing how clean the music from his sound system is.

If you are thinking of creating a customized sound system for your bike call Karl at 386-804-2979.

By Ron Cox

Three hundred fifty-seven riders and passengers assembled at Stu’s Motorcycles in south Ft. Myers to participate in a Memorial Ride for Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission Officer Julian Keen who lost his life serving the community.

Early and on-line pre-registrations indicated this would be a monster ride and the columns of motorcycles reached down the side of the dealership and wrapped around it almost completely. A tip of the cap should go to the Motor Officers of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for safely escorting the riders on the 100-mile route.

Wildlife Officer Keen was shot and killed in LaBelle when he attempted to stop a hit-and-run suspect while off duty. It would be a gross understatement to say how much the LaBelle community loved and admired this man.

Hendry County deputies located Officer Keen’s body after responding to reports of a shooting near the intersection of Nobles Road and Apache Circle. Keen’s alleged killer is in custody trying to make bail. Thirty-year-old Keen had served with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission for six years.

Upon returning to Stu’s there were hot dogs and burgers on hand along with some ice-cold beverages. A different wrinkle to a biker event was the axe throwing demonstration with the opportunity to try your hand at it yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On a lighter note, some lovely ladies were willing to wash your ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All proceeds from today’s event ($9,000+) will go to the Julian Keen Memorial Scholarship. The Scholarship benefits youth pursuing a criminal justice degree or a career in law enforcement.

By Tony and T-Rex

On the Schoon *lazy* river in Chestertown we checked in with Tina at The Rancho Pines Campground. She’s owned this for 24 years but was established back around 1928 so it’s old…with tall pines all over. Set up camp then it’s time to explore, first stop T-Rex wants to see Lake George. There was no Americade this year so that hurt business here. Half the tourists are back, and no traffic going in or out of town. We are on the Eastern side of the mountains, so we rode up to Lake Placid and Saranac Lake.

Then I took T-Rex up to one of the oldest bars, restaurant, boarding house, and train station in Lake Clear Junction. The Charlie’s Inn established a little before 1901 was the main railway from Utica to Malone. It’s not running anymore but the buildings are still standing, so lunch and a beer and we were off.

From there we ran Route 30 to 28 N. It runs you into a small, ok…very, small town of Minerva, where we slid into Sporty’s Iron Duke Saloon, another cool place in the middle of nowhere. Cabins for rent, a bar and food they even put on a motorcycle hill climb. A week of riding in the mountains great weather, mountain roads twisting through the big pines and lakes and rivers galore…off to Vermont we go. Stay cool Tony @T-Rex.

By Tony and T-Rex

The first stop on this trip is Berwick, PA where we’re gonna hang out at the Bodnarosa Campground. T-Rex wants to see family and friends for a week, and I want to ride twisting mountain roads. But we also want to go see “Bill’s Old Bike Barn and Museum”. The owner is Bill Morris and he owns Bill’s Custom Cycle for the last 51 years, so you guessed it he is 81 years old and still working every day. On the weekends he is the first guy you meet at the museum. This museum isn’t just a bunch of old bikes. It is a collection of everything from Rock’em Sock’em Robots to an Elvis room, and of course, the name of this town is “Billville”. Between the old Berwick Hotel sign and the store made of beer cans, I could write pages about the 55,000 sq. ft. museum, but if you are ever riding in the mountains in PA stop in and check it out. It’s located right behind Bill’s Custom Cycles at 7145 Route 11, Columbia Blvd, Bloomsburg, PA. Ok off to our next stop in Damascus, NY more mountains and cool breeze…                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Stay cool Tony and T-Rex

I had the most amazing day on the 4th of July. First off, we went with Karl from Volk’s Audio on his boat to “The Glen”. The ride on the St. John’s River was beautiful and thankfully my fear of Karl being a speed demon was unfounded! The most awesome sight was as we pulled into the glen it seemed as though we floated into a Trump rally. Trump and American flags flying everywhere. Red, white, and blue bikinis everywhere. Watching the polls and some news channels it was becoming very depressing. If I heard one more time “defund the police”, “our goal is no more cops in 5 years” and “no life sentences” I was going to start believing America was doomed. But seeing the patriotic Americans out enjoying a day on the river gave me a much-needed boost. A perfect day with amazing food cooked by Karl on his grill and an invigorating swim to the mouth of the spring recreated the energy for life. I still am worried that Biden may win, that we are headed off a cliff of anarchy and that most of America has lost their belief in our Constitution and love for our country. But I left that river on the 4th knowing we patriotic Americans are still out there and that we MUST not let those beating their chests like gorillas control our future. And if you think that was racist you are part of the problem. When the noose was found in a NASCAR garage the focus was on the “crime of the noose” not the fact that the REDNECK GOOD OL’ BOYS in UNISON supported Bubba. That should have been the news story, not a garage door pull!!!
Anyway, we who enjoy the freedom of motorcycling need to show our patriotism a little more this year. Ride on veteran and police rides, fly a flag on your bike or wear a patriotic shirt or hat. I joined a group called Adopt-A-Cop…you just send a note of encouragement to a police officer thanking them for putting up with us all and doing a difficult job in a difficult time! I know it doesn’t sound like much, but the police seem to appreciate hearing something positive.
Take a ride on a road you haven’t traveled, buy a cop a meal and don’t forget your sunscreen!

By Jan

During our Break Out Party on Saturday, June 13th, Scott and Adria, the winners of the Scavenger Hunt, were ecstatic to find out they were the first 2 and the only 2 that got all the answers correct. They won $125 in Gator Harley Gift Cards. They had no problem going right inside the dealership and found some great buys. Congratulations!

Everyone that went on the Scavenger Hunt was automatically entered into a drawing for a 3 day/2-night Weekend Get Away with their $5 registration fee. The chance to win was open to everyone. We are proud to announce Stacey Drosos with the Lake Co HOG won. Congratulations!

Also, there were several Clubs and Organizations that came out to support Gator Harley-Davidson: Amazons of Florida, Cruisers of Central Florida, Nam Knights MC, Lake Co. H.O.G.(co-host of the event), Clermont LAMA’s, SCHOG, Fallen Few Lake Co, Warlocks Lake Co, American Legion Riders, and West Central MFCMC,

Thank you to all who rode out to support this event. We loved the band Sulfuric and only wish we could have arrived earlier to hear more of their sets.

Our group from Daytona Beach arrived a bit late due to a bad rainstorm when we were heading out for the ride over from the coast. So, I must thank Jan from Gator for taking the pics of the day including ours!! Jan and Gator H-D work hard to not only put on entertainment for their motorcycling enthusiasts, but to also give back to their community!

Lulu

by Jeani G.

On a sunny mid-June day, we felt like “Free Birds” as we embarked on an exploratory ride dreamed up by Gator Ken to the now historic Van Zant House in westside Jacksonville, FL. Six of us: TJ & Beth, Don & Lisa, and Gator Ken & I were on a mission to visit the cradle of Southern Rock … the childhood home of famed Ronnie, Donnie and Johnny, the lead singers and musicians of Lynyrd Skynyrd and 38 Special.

Along the way we “Wild Eyed Southern Boys” (and girls) stopped at the 3D Saloon in Palatka where owner Donnie served up some breakfast cocktails. With “The Breeze” in our faces, we “Held on Loosely” as we rode on to our destination. The Van Zant House located at 5419 Woodcrest Rd. in a blue-collar neighborhood the brothers referred to as Shantytown, was officially declared a Florida heritage site on Saturday, May 12, 2018. It’s been remodeled in the 70’s style that the boys grew up with … complete with a rotary-dial telephone, wooden console stereo with an 8-track player, and memorabilia hanging in their former trophy room. Fans can rent the house and do some “Down South Jukin’” in the place where their music began.

We ventured on to 5301 Lennox Ave. where we hoped to cut a rug at a place called The Jug with a girl named Linda Lou (y’all know how the story goes), only to find it was closed, most likely due to Covid-19. This is the location of the then West Tavern which was Ronnie’s inspiration for “Gimme Three Steps”, based on actual events of a confrontation he had when he was just 18 years old. While frantically driving away from the man with a gun in his hand, Ronnie, Gary, and Alan passed a liquor store called the Little Brown Jug on Edison Ave. as they penned the lyrics to one of their most recognizable songs. The West Tavern’s name has since been changed to The Jug Saloon.

Ooh “That Smell” … which led us to Huey’s on Edgewood Ave. for lunch where we enjoyed delicious Nashville hot chicken. We then took a westerly route back through Putnam county wetting our whistle at several veteran owned and operated bars: The Howlin’ Wolf in Melrose and Lit’l Caesars Dive Bar in Interlachen. Then on to Long’s Log Cabin in Welaka … always a favorite stop!

A total of 260 miles round trip brought us back to OB’s in DeLand where we continued “Rockin’ into the Night” with my “Simple Man” Gator Ken, and me his “Fantasy Girl.” Hope you enjoyed this Southern Rock tale as much as we enjoyed the ride … stay healthy and safe y’all.

By Lulu

In June, Janice and the folks at Stormy Hill Harley had reason to celebrate. Even though the economy had been on lock down for the past several months due to Covid, it was time to bring out the beer and toast their 18th anniversary! The dealership is known by many as a friendly, caring business with fair pricing and great service. To keep riders happy and coming back for 18 years the staff is doing things right. The day of the celebration girls were washing bikes, beer and food were filling bellies and the Steven Green Band rocked the parking lot. This fall their bike nights and social events will kick back in…unless our government puts us back in time out! On August 15th they are having a Customer Appreciation Day with 25% off all licensed products. On August 1st a blood drive is being held from 10a-4p as a bonus you get a free Covid-19 Antibody test and a T-shirt.