One of my favorite musicians is not only talented, he has a great big heart. His event for Children’s Home Network is coming up again and I interviewed him recently.

TR Tell us about this year’s Children’s Home Benefit Concert.

BF The date is December 4th, at Quaker Steak and Lube in Clearwater, FL from 6-10 pm. Tampa Bay’s best musicians come together for a night of music to help kids. Sounds like fun to me!

TR Can you give us a sneak preview of the musicians coming?

BF Robbie Steinhardt (formerly of Kansas), my band, and members of Stormbringer, Highway to Hell, Greg Billings, and many more.
TR How did you get involved in this charity?

BF Back in 1984 I hosted the first event and since then have not only raised money, but really found what great work they do for families in need. Many kids that lived in the facility now are adults and come see me play. They are living great lives and that makes me feel fantastic that we may have helped in some small way.

TR How can our readers help?

BF If you can’t come to the event, please go to our GOFUNDME site, Bobby Friss Children’s Home Network Benefit and donate what you can. Through donations, auction items and sponsorships we raised $20,000.00 last year. Unreal! Thanks to you Beth and Thunder Roads Florida for helping us make it a great Christmas for the Kids

Not only is Bobby involved with kids he loves our veterans too! He is involved with Operation Finally Home and they host vets and their families at his show providing food, drink and a chance to be recognized on stage for being our heroes. This is one good guy. If possible, attend his event on the 4th or give on his GOFUNDME site and get in the holiday spirit.

Be kind and generous to those less fortunate this holiday season and don’t forget your sunscreen!

By Lulu

It was a great day at First Turn when the staff and patrons threw back to Woodstock donning paisley, fringe, flowers and weird glasses. The music was Woodstock era, but unlike Woodstock, the weather was perfect. Leave it to owner, Denise Hilliard, to think of such a fun event and to wear a “Don’t eat the brown acid” shirt!! Ride out to one of their Tuesday night bike nights for some free grub. Be sure to get there early before the heathens eat it all. $1.50 domestic longnecks (they won’t run out), $3 Fireball shots and live music on a huge spacious deck to sit with friends and chill. The address if 5236 S. Ridgewood (US 1) in Port Orange. They also have a great annual event coming again in November Oyster and Chowder Fest. See their ad in this issue for details!

By Tony and T-Rex

Saturday morning sun’s up looking like a great day for the 8th Annual Boob Run.  So, we fire up the “king”, a couple of friends came over from the west coast and we’re off to Lake Poinsett Lodge.  We get in with the breakfast crowd and bikes are already there. The pool tables are full of baskets 50-60 of them, Kel-Tec donated a gun to raffle off, plus more big-ticket items. Now you hear, the sound of bikes rolling in and the lot is filling up. By the time registration is over it’s time for kickstands up and I get a count on how many poker hands where dished out, 210 and she’s got over 100 bikes in the lot. The pack starts rolling down the 520 to Jenna’s Breezeway on beachside.

It’s a great morning to cross those bridges and know there’s a Bloody Mary waiting for you at the end. From there it’s beachside to the 528 and a little ride by the Kennedy Space Center. Then we flip over to Pinto’s Lounge. The place is slammed and even Cathy, the owner, jumps behind the bar to mix a few drinks. From there we start down the road to 50 and hammer down to Hard Racks Night Club, where Ed and Heather helped with poker hands and drinks. From there it is a 20-mile blast back down the 520 to the canal, where Michelle, the owner of Lake Poinsett, has food prepared. DJ Super Dave is blasting tunes and getting ready for the raffles and wet t-shirt contest. All and all, it was a great turnout.

Michelle would like to thank Jenna’s, Pinto’s, Hard Rack’s and Kel-Tec for all their support and everybody for their donations. And a special thank you to the volunteers and workers who helped. There was over $4000 raised and all proceeds will go to Driven by Heart.

Til next year ride safe and hydrate…

By Lulu

What makes a great event? The best music in town. And by just about anybody’s opinion the Bobby Friss Band is one of the best! For the dealership, a great event is the sale of motorcycles!! We rode in with friends from Port Orange to the dealership located in Sanford and Glenn fell in love with a beautiful red and black Road Glide Ultra and before we blinked, he was taking a test drive…that ended with the ringing of the bell and a trip home on it. Good job of selling Collins. To add to the festivities there was a car you could bash with a sledgehammer for the Shriner’s charity, food vendors, alcohol and Mid-Florida Wrestling. Located right off I-4 in Sanford, it is a convenient place to ride to events, shop for apparel or to ride a new bike away!!

By Lulu

Angel Flight is a wonderful charity that flies people to distant hospitals who have urgent medical needs but can’t afford the airfare. They also provide relief aid in times of tragic events such as hurricanes or earthquakes. Pilots use their own airplanes and provide the pilots free of charge. It is the Angel Flight events such as the poker run hosted by Heather and the folks at Dirty Harry’s that help offset the cost of fuel, etc. A hurricane made it necessary to reschedule the original date of the ride but lots of folks showed up on the rain date to ride for the cause. Starting at Beaver Bar with stops at Saints & Sinners, Bimini Bar, Renegade’s on the River and Iron Horse, gave the participants a full day of riding. Miss Intent rocked The Bank and Blues for the after party and a BBQ dinner was included. Dozens of silent auction items helped raise more much needed loot! Thanks to all who make this a yearly event. Every rider deserves wings!

By Ron Cox

Rockstar Harley-Davidson and its HOG Chapter hosted the 12th Annual “Fly Your Bra” ride on Saturday, October 5th. The ride was appropriate this day as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To call attention to the ride both men and women were encouraged to wear decorated brassieres. It was quite a sight to see, and one or more bras were flying in the wind on motorcycle antennas!!

Almost 200 riders and passengers registered at the dealership in Ft. Myers to partake of the roundtrip ride to Naples. The riders were escorted by motor officers from Lee and Collier counties.

For the fourth consecutive year the ride has been chaired by LOH Officer Susan McDonald. Proceeds from the ride will be given to two ladies battling this disease Marley Cormier and Kathy Guerrero.

Upon return everyone was treated to a lunch which included bratwurst and a doughy pretzel. Soft drinks were on hand and adult beverages were available.

An inhouse poker run kept everyone moving around the dealership, my two bullets did not come close to winning best hand.

Local favorite Teakwood Drive, a terrific country rock band, once again donated its services and kept the crowd jumpin’.

By Lulu

A perfect place to party with your friends, great bartenders, stiff drinks, and ice-cold beer. I guess that is why it is hard to find a bar stool open at Chris’ Lounge. One of the oldest drinking establishments in town it is where locals meet regularly and people in town for an event or vacation always stop in to visit. The bartenders are always friendly and many like Debbie have been there forever! Gina has been running the show since her mom Chris’ passed away, but the bar has been in the family for over 31 years. The building on the corner of U.S. 1 and Walker St. in Holly Hill has two stories with pool and darts upstairs. This is one of those bars that Toby Keith sings about. We love this bar!

By Lulu

An anniversary should be a celebration! Gator Harley-Davidson in Leesburg was celebrating their 26th year serving Lake County and beyond in excellent Harley fashion. Vendors were outside and the inside staff were busy selling motorcycles, motor clothes, part and accessories. It was a beautiful day and Hypersona entertained the many bikers who rode in for the event. The Big Red Bus One Blood was on site and were very pleased with the 23 donors who generously gave up a little of the red stuff. The bar was run by the Lake County Firefighters Charity. Bartenders were Sonja and Donna. They did samplings from Central Florida Breweries that included Wolfbranch Brewing Co., Eustis, Sanford Brewing Company, Sanford, Central 28 Beer Company, DeBary, and 3 Daughters, St. Petersburg. All these beers are distributed by Wayne Densch in Sanford. John Sokol owner of Chicago Fire Brewery and Tap Room made a special brew for Gator Harley-Davidson’s Anniversary Party. John Malik, Jr. owner of Gator Harley named it Fat Boy Blonde. The craft beer fest really tied into an anniversary celebration in the fall.

The food was prepared and served by Chef Joel Padilla with students from Leesburg High School.

Moonshine tasting was provided by Yalaha Bootlegging. Cat Reel talked about each bottle of moonshine to the crowd as they sipped their way through several different shines. I know Gator Harley loves and appreciates every customer that helped keep their doors wide open for sales and service. Congratulations to the Malik family, Jan and all the employees who make this dealership feel like you are part of the Harley family.

By Lulu

Bay 3 Bar in New Smyrna Beach is often the home of worthy causes. Big supporters of breast cancer awareness, they often host poker runs or events to raise awareness. We were treated to pizza and the presentation of a check awarded to a young vet and his wife, who due to some financial setbacks, were about to face homelessness. The Elks 2723, VFW 3282 and Messengers for Homeless Vets presented the couple with a check to take care of catching up on their rent and the feeling of being cared for by our community. All of us at some point in our lives have struggled. I think it is truly amazing that through the outreach of love for veterans, these groups raise funds to make the vets struggles returning from the front lines a little less worrisome. Good work girls and boys!

Don’t forget that Jan and Barry at Bay 3 Bar keep their beer prices the same all year and they have plenty of space for you on their barstools during Biketoberfest!

By Lulu

On Wednesday’s in Deland, bike night at OB’s is the place to party. Live music, $2-3 food specials and great people make for a fun way to spend hump day. Tony and the Big Engine Band was on hand in August to rock the crowd and the place was packed. Lots of improvements including a new outside bar and plenty of comfortable seating make your time there better than ever. Kristi and all the girls do their best to keep your whistle wet! Don’t forget to ride out to Deland to check out OB’s during Biketoberfest and while you’re there try a Twisted Tea!

By Lulu

We have been attending Cotee River Bike Fest for the past few years. The festival is set in a park on a beautiful tree lined river in downtown New Port Richey. A few blocks are closed to autos and have bike parking, vendors and 2 stages with great live music. One of our personal favorite places to sit on a barstool and unwind is Tim Fussell’s cigar bar within walking distance of the event. Little Corona’s Cigar Lounge has a walk-in humidor with a great selection of fine cigars. Little Corona’s stocks 55 different bottled beers and 10 drafts, as well as a good selection of wine to go with your smoke.

7 TVs are playing the big game and the music is great. There is indoor seating and a covered porch with a TV if you prefer to have a cold one outdoors. Animals are welcome and that includes those of us who ride on 2-3 wheels! You do not have to be a cigar smoker to enjoy this bar. The staff are all friendly except maybe the one we call “Carla” who is like the character from Cheers and can be a little rough around the edges…she is one of our favorites!

Whether Tom, Liz or Carla serve your beer or wine, they will make you feel like part of the Cotee River family. You might even get lucky and the owner Tim might have his barkeep “hat” on. Tim is a retired fireman and is a jolly guy who rides a Harley. Can’t get any more Biker Friendly than that! So, stop in Little Corona at 6324 Grand Blvd. and cool off in one of our favorite watering holes.

By Lulu

The monthly Mystery Ride out of the Boat Bar in August took us to Ancient City Brewery in St. Augustine for a day of music, food, friends and beer. The LAMA’s host a bike day on the third Sunday of the month there, although in October due to the grand opening of Adamec H-D of St. Augustine they will not be having one. So, check them out in November.
As usual, we ended the ride with some good chow provided by Tony at The Boat. During Bike Week Tony throws a rally party with food and music. His prices are awesome for ice cold beer, so put this on your list of watering holes to visit!

As we ride into October and the season of rallies in Florida, we should consider ourselves blessed that all Hurricane Dorian caused us was a bit of liver damage. The poor souls in the Bahamian islands didn’t have our good fortune. This year as a Floridian I will be happy if hurricane season comes and goes without touching the Sunshine state.

On a bit of a political rant in the spirit of Kneecap, I have had my fill of liberals saying we should forgive student debt. I paid for my college working a full-time job with kids in daycare. It wasn’t about going to an expensive university, parties, concerts, $800 cell phone bills, apartments and fast food meals for me. It was about getting a job that paid better as quickly as I could. My ex-husband and I did the Florida Prepaid College for both of our boys. Then my mother-in-law paid for college for our 5 grandchildren. Why in the hell should I be responsible for AOC’s college debt when she makes 4 times more than I do now? If kids are foolish enough to rack up college debt by dropping classes instead of flunking them, getting their hair and nails done and buying kegs of beer all while claiming to be pursuing a higher education it is their bill not mine. Then they graduate with a mountain of debt and a degree that no one needs…it is asinine for them to expect hardworking Americans to pay for their folly. Many people don’t choose to go to college because they can’t afford to…why should they have to pay for these kids’ debt. I am all for the government giving interest free loans for passing grades, but not for illegals…or drop-outs…or kids that are just wasting their twenties in college. The interest free college should be room, board and classes. Period. And interest kicks in if they don’t make timely payments. Not getting a job shouldn’t be an excuse. They need to be more selective in the field they choose to pursue. Trump’s idea to push trade schools is another no brainer. The most important thing we can do is to make police officers’, teachers’ (not professors who I think are overpaid for the junk they are pushing), first responders’ and nurses’ jobs occupations we would want our children to aspire to…better wages, college assistance for these jobs, and RESPECT for the work they do would be a good start. Maybe even house loans like we give for Vets for people in these fields!

So please ride safe while visiting our state, lots of critters on the road at night, cops waiting to give you a field sobriety test on every highway so be smart and vigilant when you are out on two wheels.
Make sure you are registered to vote, ride on a breast cancer run in October and don’t forget your sunscreen!

By Lulu

Nothing on a bike is more important for a comfortable ride than the seat! Bar hopping in town may not matter to you much, particularly if you have a little padding on your own rear. But when we travel on our bike, we put hundreds of miles on per day! Ultimate Seats USA builds their motorcycles seats for “long ride comfort”. Our last bike T. J. had worn his seat out so when he decided the ride was just unbearable, he checked out Ultimate Seats and was extremely pleased with the comfort and quality they delivered.

As many bike businesses begin, Des Hockley, the founder of Ultimate Seats, couldn’t find an aftermarket seat for his Honda Valkyrie that was the comfort level he desired. So, he made his own. His buddies wanted one too and Ultimate Seats was established in 2002 in Toronto, Canada. At first, they traveled the rally circuit expanding into more and more bike companies and different models within product line. Daytona is primarily research and development with a beautiful showroom and warehouse for worldwide distribution. Dave Frank is VP of Operations and you can find him at the shows or in the Daytona location.

Their seat bases are made from fiber reinforced rigid urethane which provides a rigid support system to build the rest of the seat. The foam itself is a high-density injection modeled memory foam which acts like a suspension system and gives you support. The mounting brackets are steel and are either black zinc electroplated, powder coated or polished and chromed for corrosion resistance. The seats are custom built for most models including Harley Davidson, Can-Am, Suzuki, Honda, Victory, Indian, Yamaha and Kawasaki. Your new seat comes with a 14-day trial and refund if you’re unhappy with the comfort and fit. They also offer custom colors for you to create your own personalized look for your bike.

The permanent showroom for Ultimate Seats USA is on the Destination Daytona property in Ormond Beach at 348 Destination Daytona Ln. They are open Monday through Friday 9AM – 6PM and Saturday 9AM – 4PM (closed Sunday). Dave has display seats for you to test ride either in the showroom or at their rig at rally sites. They also have a complete rig which travels to many rallies in the US including Thunder Beach fall and spring, Sturgis, Americade, Ocean City Bike Fest, Wing Ding, and Bikes, Blues and BBQ in Arkansas. They also set the rig up at International Speedway during Bike Week and Biketoberfest in Daytona.

The website is UltimateSeats.com, their phone number is 877-672-0288 in the US and 800-818-6868 in Canada. Make sure if your backside is feeling a little road weary to stop by their showroom or their rig at International Speedway to see what they can do to make those miles on the road a little sweeter!