By Ron Cox

The Naples Chapter of LAMA (Latin American Motorcycle Association) hosted its 5th Anniversary party on February 16th at Rockstar Harley-Davidson. More than 260 LAMAS’ plus their friends and guests rocked out on the patio. Riders came in from Alabama and Ohio too! And since LAMA’s International Convention was the following week in Orlando, LAMA’s had their bikes shipped from Mexico, Cuba and Columbia. Several local clubs also had representation.

Under tent-like canopies, everyone had the opportunity to enjoy a meal of pulled pork, chicken, baked beans, salsa and chips. Plenty of ice-cold soft drinks and water accompanied the meal. Adult beverages were available.

A trophy table was set up with plenty of hardware to be given out. Chapters took 1st and 2nd place for having the most members, longest distance and the most female members present.

Entertainment was provided by 3RG Miami and needless to say they kept everyone up and moving!!!!!

LAMA was founded in 1977 in Chicago. Since its inception, LAMA was intended to be a Moto-Touring Club with truly democratic ideas. In 1995 a Chapter was formed in Miami and in 1996 LAMA became a National Association when the first national president was elected. In 1999 LAMA became an International Association when Chapters were formed in Puerto Rico, Mexico and Cuba. Today the number of Chapters has grown to more than 160 worldwide spanning the Americas, Asia, Europe and Australia. Florida boasts more than 20 Chapters.

By Lulu

If there is anyone who works in the rally industry who wasn’t exhausted on March 18th, they weren’t in Daytona Beach! It was one hell of a rally! Most bars and hotels were slammed and full. I heard some of the best FREE music in the state right here!! By most accounts this was one of our safer rallies, although there were two reported cars that slammed into bikes on Main Street which caused serious injuries. Who the hell thinks cars should be allowed on Main Street during Bike Week anyway? The last report I heard was that during the rally there were 100 wrecks but no fatalities…which I am shocked by and thankful for. Some very serious injuries and that isn’t good, but at least no deaths reported at the time I had to go to print.

There were so many bike shows at cool venues I felt like a hamster in a wheel trying to get from one to the next. The coverage for Bike Week will be in the May issue as the deadline for the April issue falls before Bike Week ends so look for it next month.

I want to thank all who took their days to visit historic Bike Week…there are bike rallies all over the country and all over Florida now, but it all started here. And even with our messed-up government officials who seem to wish Bike Week would go away, I for one don’t want them to have their way. Daytona is known for 3 things: Drive on beaches, NASCAR and motorcycles! We are not South Beach, we are not Delray. We are a beach of memories from spring breakers, to race fans and for those who like a motorcycle party. The local government has no idea the financial impact of the motorcyclists who visit here, not the impact during the rally…I am talking about how many people move here because they fell in love with it during their visits to Bike Week. Fools get elected everyday and from what I have seen running this city, Phaedra Lee should run for Mayor to save us from these fools!

Thank you to all my friends who remembered my birthday and the Silly String was a mess sorry Gina and the staff at Chris’ Lounge!

Ride safe, wear your sunscreen and don’t forget to thank your vets and first responders for protecting us and our freedom!

By Lulu

Bradley Summersill was a handsome young man with a long life ahead of him and a family that loved him dearly. On New Year’s Eve 2010 on the way to pick up his mom after work, he was killed by a drunk driver. His family was simply devastated. The financial cost of a funeral wasn’t expected. So, when friends saw that his grave didn’t have a headstone, a poker run was organized and so much money was raised, that they were also able to fund another stone for a family who also lost a child. That was the birth of the Bradley Summersill Foundation 10 years ago. This year over 100 bikes met at the Apopka Elks Lodge 2422, and after a hearty breakfast of pancakes, kickstands were up for a beautiful day of riding to honor Bradley’s memory and to raise funds for other families needing stones for their children. A stop at Rock Springs Bar & Grill for a cold drink and then off to the cemetery where Bradley was laid to rest. A brief ceremony and the release of helium balloons with names of loved ones floated skyward. We couldn’t make it to the end party where Accuzed was playing, but we met some wonderful people who care about others in need and generously gave up their day to Ride for the Stone!

The Bradley Summersill Foundation has purchased headstones for children in over 47 states, 256 of them since 2010…what an amazing legacy for Bradley and his family and friends. Etched into Bradley’s stone are the words “The Strength of One Empowers Many” and this event is a living example of just that. Since the ride on March 2nd they have received 3 new applications from families. A total for the day’s efforts was $17,003 an amazing day to help more families in their time of need.

By Lulu

What started out as a rainy ride to Jacksonville from Daytona Beach, ended with fairly clear skies and a great temperature for a bike night at Adamec Harley-Davidson on Baymeadows. They kicked off Bike Week with a bike night at the dealership. Despite an hour-long rain delay plenty of peeps were on hand from as far as Daytona to hear Tony and the boys rock the place. Adamec Harley-Davidson is involved with Bike Night at Jacksonville Landing on the second Thursday of every month and Bike Day at Ancient City Brewery in St. Augustine on the third Sundays. Or just check out their 4 locations: St. Augustine on St. George St., Jacksonville on Baymeadows, Regency on Atlantic Blvd. or Orange Park on Wells for bikes, accessories and apparel. Look for the grand opening of another new dealership coming soon to St. Augustine at the Outlet Mall property!

By Lulu

Well the rains fell and fell hard just prior to the opening of Dania Beach’s Vintage Motorcycle Show. Bad weather was predicted for the one-day event. I honestly thought we would make the trip south from Daytona Beach to a total wash out. But Clare Frost weathered the storm and the day turned out to be nice. The field was a bit slushy and the baseball diamond looked more like a pond, but the band played to a field full of browsers, shoppers and bike owners. Along with an antique bike and bicycle show, the attractions include a swap meet, vendors, music and food. Clare you rock for not cowering down to the storm!

By Lulu

Insuring your motorcycle is one of the first things you do after making that exciting purchase. In Holly Hill at 1702 Ridgewood Avenue, two Volusia County born and raised ladies are in the business of doing just that! Lisa Collalti Hawkins and Sandi Hageman are partners in H & H Insurance, LLC. They have both been in the insurance industry for years. Lisa was licensed in 1996 and Sandi in 2000. Their friendship started eighteen years ago through the insurance business. Seven years ago, they decided to make the leap and open H & H (Hawkins & Hageman) Insurance. They are licensed and can sell for the entire state of Florida. As an independent insurance agency, they can shop for your best price. I must admit they saved me money on my car insurance when I changed to H & H and they saved T.J. a bunch of money on his homeowner’s policy as well. Lisa and Sandi provide motorcycle, auto, boat, home, collector cars, commercial and life insurance. They do not handle health insurance.

When I said Volusia County born and raised which seems rare in this area, Lisa’s family is the oldest documented family in the U.S., her maternal family name is Solana from St. Augustine. Her family was even featured in a documentary on PM Magazine. Sandi’s family owned Cobb’s Corner. Her grandmother was Patricia Lindmeier.

Sandi tells me that she is a stay at home in her free time kind of girl. She loves her time with her family which consists of three children and a two-year old granddaughter. So, motorcycle riding is something she enjoyed in the past, and she enjoys Lisa’s stories of her adventures on two-wheels.

Many in the Daytona area know Lisa “Biker Mama” from either riding with Greg or from her time behind the bar at Smiley’s Tap. She has bartended there for nine years…and just enjoys doing it! She grew up riding behind her brother, holding tight while he wheelied down the street, much to her parents’ dismay. After a divorce in 2006, she decided she had to have her own bike. Lisa rode her own for several years, but she couldn’t spend much time on her motorcycle due to the demands of the new business, so she sold it and now is content to enjoy the backseat. Her passion is riding, and she gets itchy when she hears bikes pull up while she is behind the desk! She met her riding mate Greg at Annie Oakley’s when Greg’s friend Micah made the love connection by telling Greg to give her a ride on the 9/11 Memorial Ride in Flagler…they have been together ever since! Lisa also spends time with her son and two grandchildren and loves the beach.

H & H Insurance is very community minded and supports bike runs, particularly Family Renew and Toys for Tots. Both Lisa and Sandi would love to give you a quote and help you with any insurance needs or questions you might have. They are super friendly, saved me money and it is worth the call (386-310-8702)! Tell them Thunder Roads sent you…

By Raven Van Pelt

Dreams Come True held a police escorted ride at Adamec Harley-Davidson of Jacksonville that started at Adamec and made its way through Jacksonville with 125 bikes and returned to Adamec Harley Davidson.

Dreams Come True is the First Coast’s only locally-based wish granting organization dedicated to using the power of a dream to bring hope and joy to EVERY First Coast child battling a life-threatening illness. Since 1984, the dreams of more than 3,800 children have been fulfilled. No child is ever denied a dream and no child is ever placed on a waiting list.

They are proud to say that, unless otherwise designated, 100% of all donations go directly toward dream fulfillment.  Whatever the dream may be, it’s the momentary reprieve from doctor visits, tests and medical treatments that makes all the difference.

Dreams Come True is not affiliated with any national wish-granting charity. For more information contact Dreams Come True of Jacksonville, 6803 Southpoint Parkway, Jacksonville, Florida, 32216 or call 904-296-3030. Thank you, riders, for your continued support.

By Phoenix and Metric-HD

On a bright Florida afternoon TK and his lovely wife Di were out enjoying a day of riding when their lives were changed in a blink of an eye. Out of nowhere, a northbound vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed lost control, crossed the median striking a southbound vehicle towing another vehicle leaving TK and DI in their crosshairs. TK had no other option but to lay his bike down and ride it out. When the dust settled TK and DI were banged up pretty good but by the grace of God they survived. Di got bumps and bruises and a lot of road rash but was released from the hospital. TK received the worst of it and spent a few days in the hospital with a long road to recovery.

The accident left both TK and Di in a bad place both physically and financially, but they did not have to endure the trauma alone. When you ride a motorcycle, you belong to a unique community that will come together in the time of need. If you belong to a motorcycle club, they will stick with you through thick and thin, luckily TK and Di belong to both. The brothers from the Shadow Hunterz and other motorcycle clubs from the surrounding area came together with the biker community to put on a fundraiser to cut the cost of their medical expenses.

The poker run started in Highlands County with stops at some of TK’s favorite biker spots like Sheila’s Corner Pub in historical downtown Sebring and one of the newer biker stops at the Wild Hawg on Hwy. 27 in Sebring. The last stop was at the Just One More Bar and Grill in Lake Wales where Wanda and her staff hosted an after party with food for all. DJ Weed was on hand playing some of the old classic tunes of the past.

While the weather was not that good due to the coldest weather of the year, the turnout was great. Everyone had a fun time and all the money raised went to TK and Di. We wish TK and Di a speedy recovery and hope to see them out enjoying the open roads once again soon. GOD BLESS!!!

By Lulu

It is with great sadness that I need to report this will be the final Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom to the Vietnam Wall in May. Due to rising cost the yearly ride to honor those lost and maimed in Vietnam will come to an end after 2019. I have done this ride twice and I tell anyone who will listen it meant more to me than anything I have ever experienced on two wheels. If you can possibly make the trek this year, I encourage you to do it. The date this year is May 26th for the actual ride, but there are events a few days prior that are well worth participating in. You will feel proud of our country if you make this pilgrimage and have a chance to say to these heroes “Welcome Home”.

Also want to pass on the news that Bobby Friss has picked up a new sponsor, Gator Harley-Davidson in Leesburg. He is always a crowd favorite there and packed the house at the recent chili-BBQ cook-off for PTSD for the firefighters. Check out his website for a complete list of his schedule. We will be at the old Tilted Kilt now Ocalahan’s in Ocala for their first bike night of the year on April 6th to see him and he will be at Seminole H-D for the Sam Swope Charity Ride on March 10th.

I must apologize for the March issue having mostly ads! Great for our expenses and it helps us print this free publication all year long! We are growing by leaps and bounds and really appreciate our ad clients support and ask you to patronize them whenever you can. It really helps if you mention you saw their ad in Thunder Roads Florida!

While in Daytona be careful of the wildlife, we have had bikes go down from deer and even bears in the past so ride like you are in a video game being chased by aliens! Also don’t rev your pipes or do burnout. The cops are itching for a reason to pull you over and take a bite out of your wallet. Nothing worse than ruining your Bike Week experience with a run in with the law.

Check out our advertisers’ business, buy a stranger a beer and don’t forget your sunscreen!

Lulu

By Lulu

Sometimes what makes one bar cooler than the next is music, location, ambiance…but what sets Chris’ Lounge apart from most, is history. It has been owned and operated by a family that loves motorcycling and motorcyclist for twenty-eight years. Chris Robino took a one-story building on a corner in Holly Hill and had a vision to put a second story on it and make it a neighborhood bar that was “out of this world” …and she did in 2000! The aliens lurking about the bar remind us of just that. Chris’ daughter Gina has taken the reins of her mother’s business and is keeping to her mom’s recipe for a great bar…great prices year-round, good drinks, ice cold beer, fun staff and treating everyone that comes in the door like family.

Upstairs there are pool tables that host their pool leagues and darts for those who enjoy dart leagues. Downstairs an almost always packed bar full of regulars in all sorts of conversations enjoying their ice-cold beers or stiff drinks poured by some of the greatest bartenders around! Chris’ Lounge is a favorite of those on two wheels, NASCAR fans and locals. The bar is open 7am to 2am 365 days a year and parties on days like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are just an ongoing tradition there. But frankly it is always a party at Chris’.

In 1998 a truck ran right into the front of the building taking out the front wall. It happened right before happy hour luckily and no one was hurt, amazingly they just boarded up the bar and business continued as usual right through the Christmas holidays. Nothing keeps the doors from opening at Chris’ Lounge!

The story of the military man holding a rifle and a flag was one that I was interested in learning. Debbie a bartender at Chris’ for 26 years says that they have always had many vets frequent the bar on a regular basis, so when Chris saw the statue at a retail establishment down the street, she had to have it as a tribute for veterans and our military. Debbie says people come in thinking it is an Army/Navy store but walking in the front door and finding a bar…often just made them “regulars” from that day on. The statue has been vandalized and in fact this is the second one.

Gina Robino does ride her Fat Boy when she can slip away. Her mom in her younger years had a BSA. So, the fruit didn’t fall far from the tree in the Robino family. Gina and her staff are happy to host poker runs and are involved in lots of local charity events. They even do bake sales for local veteran charities.

So, whether you are in town for the races, Bike Week or a local who hasn’t found Chris’ Lounge, stop in at 1301 Ridgewood Ave. in Holly Hill and find out why the regulars “Love this bar” just like the Toby Keith song. The bartenders are Debbie, Gina, Kelly, Tina, Donna, Ashley, Valerie, Kimmi, Teresa, Rockin’ Rhonda and Colin. Each and every one of them will be happy to make you happy anytime of the day…it’s happy hour all day at Chris’!

By Lulu

The one thing I must say about those who ride two-three wheels out of The Boat Bar in Port Orange is they like to ride!! At the drop of dime, they will pony up and go anywhere…anytime. So, we planned to make a day of it and make our “mystery ride” a pre-planned trip to Gator Harley in Leesburg to watch Bobby Friss play a set and to check out Gator’s charity event for PTSD for local firefighters, which included sampling awesome chili and BBQ. The weather was perfect. The crowd upon arriving at Gator was filled to the brim…standing room only!

On the way to Gator we took a mystery detour and visited Ken & Jeanne’s place (The Groggery) for a cold one. The gang which is normally 15-20 of us was a bit overwhelming for our host and hostess with the mostest…as we were hitting about 50 for this trip! But they handled it with their usual southern charm and kept the beer and cocktails flowing.

If you want to meet and ride with some great friends, the mystery ride is monthly out of The Boat Bar in Port Orange, generally leaving at around 11am for sights unknown, ending with dinner, there is a $5 donation that gets you your meal at the end and in for the 50/50 raffle. We have a blast when we can join so check out their ad each month for date and time!!!

A special thank you to Jan and the folks at Gator H-D for always doing so much for the community and for bringing bikers such great entertainment.

By Lulu

In Ft. Lauderdale at 381 Prospect Road is a great spot for those who like a good biker bar. Owned by a guy who loves on and off road motorcycling, Dan goes out of his way to treat those who frequent his place like family. The last Saturday of every month, if you ride in to Boar’s Nest Saloon on your bike, you will be treated to free food, great music and good ol’ brotherhood!

We went on a day of heavy rain and still had a couple riders…I must admit we were in the van since we were down in Ft. Lauderdale for the weekend, but he fed us for free anyway! It was scrumptious sausage and peppers with fries! TJ ate all of his sandwich and half of mine! Everyone in the bar was friendly and willing to pose for our cameras. The beer is ice cold, they have full liquor and a pool table for those who like to shoot a game or two. When you are visiting the Ft. Lauderdale/Oakland Park area ride in to wet your whistle and cool your pipes! Tell em Thunder Roads sent you.

By Lulu

Twenty years ago, Bikers Bash was launched. This year they honored founders, the late Bruce Rossmeyer and his family and Rita and Rick Case. The gala was held at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino with a fabulous dinner, live music and tables full of silent auction items to bid on. There was also a live auction of incredible packages which even included Super Bowl tickets, but the auction item of the night was a motorcycle built at Mr. Motorhead’s with the assistance of the children from the Boys & Girls Club of Broward County.

The bike started as a 2006 Fat Boy and with donations from Arlen Ness (accessories), Samson (exhaust), Artyek (paint), Southeast Powder Coating, Kovac Automotive (tires) and Tucker V-Twin (accessories) the result is a throwback to the 70’s names “El Gordo Loco”. I was told the generous gentleman, Tommy Hartmann, who purchased the bike donated it back to be auctioned again! The Boys and Girls Club of Broward County serves 12,032 kids who spent a total of 2,710,785 hours at the club. The children range from 6-18 years old.

Participants in the club benefit with increased academic success, physical fitness and better lifestyle choices, and building of good character and citizenship. A special thank you to title sponsor Alligator Alley Harley-Davidson and all the sponsors who make this event possible and create this atmosphere of love for kids in need!