Phoenix and Metric

Everyone knows where they were on September 11, 2001. No matter what your take is on what happened on 9/11, that day changed the course in American History. Well, thanks to the West Sebring Volunteer Fire Department we all have a chance to honor the memory of all the Americans who lost their lives on that horrible day.

The West Sebring Volunteer Fire Department teamed up with the AMVETS Post 21 and Veterans-in-Arms VMC to host a day filled with fun, food and a very hot ride. The day started out with the Veterans-in-Arms VMC heading out. While the ride was one of the hottest ones we have ever been on, we hit some of the coolest stops along the way.

The first stop on our “hot’ ride was just around the corner at the West Sebring Volunteer Fire Station #10, home to the 9/11 Memorial. The second stop was at the newest spot in town to enjoy a cold drink and hot food. Bo David’s is the newest biker friendly place in Lake Placid. Next, we headed to one of the oldest and unique places in the county, \

Fred’s Bar at Niebert Fish Camp. Fred’s has been the place to stop on your way to or from West Palm Beach down Hwy 98 just outside of Sebring. After Fred’s, we took the scenic route up the VFW in Avon Park to quench our thirst. The VFW in Avon Park is home to our brothers from the US Military Veterans MC.

The final stop was on the back roads to the AMVET Post 21 where the post hosted a fantastic poker tournament that lasted into the wee hours of the night. Special thanks to our brother from another mother “Dumpster Mike” for providing us with great entertainment. All the proceeds went to help with the cost of the monument. Come visit the Memorial at the West Sebring Volunteer Fire Station #10 on Hammocks Rd. Tell them Metric sent you. For information on how you can help click on the following website: https://westsebring.com/911-memorial.

By Lulu

You just have to love a great Latin party…and where better to throw one than on the huge property out back at Treasure Coast Harley-Davidson in Stuart. Scott and Virginia had a dealership slam packed with people browsing at bikes and apparel, while the party…included great Latin food, bikini bike wash, music with that Latin beat, a dunking booth and raffles to raise money for their charitable causes. When traveling the state most of us try to visit dealerships and usually they are located right on a major highway, Treasure Coast is off the path a bit but well worth the ride. A pirate theme inside makes this one of the more interesting dealerships to visit and you will be pleasantly surprised by the nice people that will great you there!

By Lulu

Well everyday of being in business for 24 years can’t be blue skies and sunshine, and the weather gods didn’t smile too kindly on the Battle of the Bands at Gator Harley-Davidson in Leesburg. Dark skies and occasional rain burst I am certain kept a damper on the crowds but it certainly didn’t ruin the day of awesome music.

In fact, for those on two wheels who did brave the bad forecast, it was a nicer than normal July day at Gator H-D in that the temperature was much more pleasant than a typical July afternoon. But the music was hot all afternoon. The band line up included Southern Breeze Band, Level 360, Roxx the Band, Bob Willey Band and Highway Starz. I would not want to choose the winner! But the winners are first place Highway Starz, second place Bob Willey Band and third place Roxx the Band. Any of the bands would be great to hire for you bar owners reading this.

As part of the anniversary bash, there was 20% off all licensed Harley product inside and I must admit I snuck away from TJ long enough to bring two great shirts home with me!

Jan and the staff at Gator are always going above and beyond to put on a good time and to service your motorcycle and apparel needs. Stop in and see them and tell them happy 24 years in business!!!

By Lulu

If you own a motorcycle and haven’t been to Panama City Beach to a Thunder Beach rally in either the spring or the fall you must have a bike that you just don’t ride! The beaches are beautiful, the restaurants delicious and Men the girls are hot!! If I had to mention a negative aspect of this rally it is simply traffic, but that didn’t seem bad this year because of the cooler than normal temperature.

And if you visit there enough you can get off the main roads and find cut through routes to most anywhere you want to travel. This event has grown over the years and really consists of three locations and participating bars. Pier Park which has vendors, the Best of Thunder Beach Custom Bike Show and American Bagger’s Baddest Bagger Competition. Aaron Bessant Amphitheater is adjacent to Pier Park and hosted their headliners, the LED Bike Competition sponsored by Custom Dynamics and the finale of their bikini contest.

Frank Brown Park which has a ton of vendors, tattoo contests, motorcycle stunt show and live music, and of course, the Harley-Davidson of Panama City Beach. At the dealership Paul Sr., Mikey and cousin Nick from OCC fame were on hand to reveal a new custom bike! Bikini bike washes are all over town which is a good thing because of the salty air. There are bike rides, cool bars and beautiful women of ALL ages in bikini competitions the entire event.

The music in town for the spring rally included Buckwild at Hammerheads, Mustang Sally at Sharky’s to name a few, and Jack Russell’s Great White, Geneva, and Molly Hatchet on the big stage. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort which we LOVE! So, get your plans ready for their fall rally October 25-29 and join us for a great weekend!

By Deborah Speicher

Every Memorial Day, Florida National Cemetery (Bushnell) holds a ceremony to honor those buried there and their families. The Florida motorcycle communities were out in full force to support this event and several military riding organizations participated. With approximately 350+ bikes, the largest group riding into the cemetery was the Defenders MC (Tampa Bay Chapter). The Defenders MC is a group comprised of active and retired military, law enforcement, emergency services and public safety professionals.

The Defenders’ ride was coordinated by Colonel Ron “Paladin” Rook, USMC (Ret.), who has done so for the past several years. Local HOG and other riding groups were invited to join the Defenders for this ride. Thanks to a police escort and the excellent road captains from the Defenders MC, this 30+ mile ride went off without a hitch.

The ceremony had many poignant speakers, patriotic music and a “missing man” flyover by Ye Mystic Air Krewe. While the actual meaning and traditions of Memorial Day may have been forgotten by some people, those attending the ceremony came out to remember, honor and salute those who had defended our country. Once again, the group “Flags for Fallen Veterans” and a couple of thousand volunteers made sure that several thousand flags were placed on the grave sites.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the Master of Ceremonies, Steve Jerve. Steve has been MC’ing for several years running. Kudos to Steve, the Florida National Cemetery Joint Veterans Committee and all those who made this inspirational event happen!

By Lulu

Wonderful people can do extraordinary things. And so was the case of a bunch of awesome folk in Eustis. When a friend named James “Bo” Harvey was diagnosed with leukemia, a plan was hatched to raise some much-needed money to help offset the expenses. A blood drive raised 27 pints of blood in Bo’s name. Pug’s Pub enticed patrons and friends to give of their blood with “A Pint for A Pint”, in other words a free pint of draft beer. They sold pulled pork sandwiches prepared with love by Pork Chop for a $5 donation for the cause. Live music by The Fender Benders rocked the house. And the Pissin’ Frogs pulled off another successful endeavor to help someone in need.

But prior to the benefit held in June. A wonderful woman who was given the name “Stitches” by the group, made a quilt out of 25 Harley t-shirts donated by the Frog members. It was raffled off over a month or more. I think the final raised on just the quilt was $5000!!! “Stitch” spent about two weeks making the masterpiece. For those of you who may not know “Stitch” she has been in the embroidery/alteration/quilting business for thirty years. She is the owner of Sew What? The Sewing Room at 47 Wafford St. in Umatilla and her real name is Norlina Smith. Her shop is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9a-5p. Or to schedule work her number is 352-669-1608. Another charity she shares her talent with is Quilts of Valor, she has made 27 quilts for veterans. The quilt for Bo was won by Linda at Frank’s Place in Leesburg.

On a very sad note, Bo passed on July 7th and when they tried to present the family with the rest of the funds raised, his sons refused and said to “Play it Forward”! I wasn’t lucky enough to know Bo or his children, but seems like he must have been one hell of a guy to raise generous sons and to have had friends that cared so much for him.

A special thank you to Patty owner of Pug’s, all the Pissin’ Frogs, Stitch, Joker and everyone that took their time, energy and money to make someone’s life just a bit easier in a time of struggle!

By T-Rex

The bike night for Post 359 in Bellwood is the third Saturday of the month from 4-8pm. We rolled in at 4pm after a day of riding. We met Larry the director and his wife Dena. We’ve been there before and they always work hard to put on a great show.

The “Seeds Band” was playing great tunes while people were up dancing all night. The horseshoe pits were busy with a bunch of “Deadringers”. A 50/50 raffle was held. And plenty of adult beverages at the Tiki Hut. What else do you need after a day of riding?

Thank you American Legion Riders Post 359 for a great night.

By Lulu

It seems as soon as I first noticed LED lighting on bikes, Ken Gardner was on the cutting edge of it. According to Ken, he started helping friends install lights on their bikes, then friends of friends’ bikes and the next thing you know he was in business. Sherry at Iron Horse first talked him into setting up during their Church of Chops Labor Day event in September of 2011, then Scott Demonico of Rally Leathers helped him take it on the road…and miles and miles of highway later Ken and Jamie have already outgrown their first showroom in Holly Hill and moved to a 2.5 acres site with a 3,600-square foot warehouse in Ormond Beach. The new location is 1170 N. US Highway 1 across from Smiley’s Tap. This is the first year they haven’t closed for the summer riding season but according to Ken “with customer traffic, internet sales, dealer sales and customer service, they need to be open year-round”. Custom Lighting is open Monday-Friday 9-5 or by appointment. Most jobs can be completed in 30 minutes to 6 hours on the same day, he sends customers across the street to Smiley’s for a bite to eat while he installs.

We all see bikes lit up like Christmas trees, but Ken states that 80% of his installs are navigational lights. His business was created with a focus on safety. At the Americade Rally in Lake George, New York this year he installed LEDs on 100 bikes and only two were for decoration. Tail lights start at $150 with a complete rear conversion to LEDs (turn signals, tail lights and modules) is $500. A total conversion can be done for less than $1000 and includes a lifetime warranty. The products are primarily from Custom Dynamics. Their product line has a Smart Triple Play which allows turn signals to blink even when brake lights come on. They install lights on all types of bikes including Can Ams, although most bikes he works on are Harleys.

As far as decorative lighting there are laws. In Florida, red lights cannot face forward, amber cannot face the rear and blue lights cannot be displayed while driving. The goal with all lighting installs is to protect yourself!! How many times have I heard people say, “I just didn’t see the bike”, even people who ride!

Ken and Jamie both ride and participate in the biking community. They help sponsors the You Decide the Ride quarterly event with The Rock of Daytona. Ken’s 2015 Ultra Classic Screaming Eagle CVO is sweet and has the perfect amount of lighting to make sure you see him coming. Ken is originally from Lansing, Michigan and worked as a skilled tradesman with General Motors and became a Manufacturing Engineer. He moved to Kansas City, Kansas for a bit and retired to Florida for “the weather”. Didn’t stay retired long and I would bet works harder and longer than he ever did before being self-employed. Ken and Jamie feel they have a “responsibility” to the biking community and started mentoring others who are interested in getting into the LED business. He says there is no way we can light every bike and feels it is urgent to make bikers as visible as possible for their safety. So, he teaches people the skills he has refined, helping to spread the light of safety and to help people make money.

Ken has one other passion similar to flying down the highway on two wheels. He is a pilot, and if you visit his shop you will notice his project…a helicopter he is building. Check out their new digs and get yourself some LEDs for protection. After all, riding is like being in a video game and it seems like everyone is out to get us. Anything we can do to make us safe is critical and Ken and Jamie can help you light your way to safety!! “Be safe, be seen”!

By Lulu

Spring brings lots of bike events, but by far Leesburg Bike Fest has grown to be one of the best anywhere. I hear lots of complaints that it is hot, but I suppose the hot body contest (and this year there were 5 if you count the Lucky Man event) and great music makes us overlook the bit of heat that always finds its way to Leesburg. This year the headliners were Fuel, Queensryche and Pure Prairie League but 3 stages downtown had music of all types way into the night…60+ concerts. And for shoppers 200+ vendors!!! One of the best parts of Leesburg Bike Fest though involves motorcycles…the riding from all directions is nice. North and east of Leesburg you have the Ocala National Forest and beautiful horse farms. South of Leesburg you have the pretty hills of Clermont. And there are all kind of cool joints to ride out of town for a place to catch some food and cocktails.

Gator Harley-Davidson in Leesburg also had vendors, the Miss Gator Harley contest, great live music and bike shows. Their complex was packed each day I attended. And it appeared to me there was a good deal of shopping going on.

By Lulu

The small town feel of Eustis is what America really is. The love of God and country, the knowledge of the cost of our freedom, and the pride in honoring our veterans was obvious while visiting the Moving Wall display during Eustis Music Fest. This small town took it upon themselves to raise the money to bring the Moving Wall to their community. With the help of many, the funds were raised, and the ceremony and events held at the park were meaningful to all in attendance. Many Vietnam Vets have never had the opportunity to go to D.C. and experience The Wall. Some are no longer healthy enough to make the trip. So, to have the chance to see the names chiseled on the wall has deep meaning to those who were called upon to serve in Vietnam. The lives lost during that war were incredible, and the illnesses and damage to those who returned shaped the rest of their lives. I worked a psychiatric facility in Pensacola, Florida for a brief time and many of my patients were Vietnam Vets. Their emotional scars suffered from their experience were lifelong and deep. I have traveled twice with vets to D.C. for the Ride to the Wall and they find it healing in a way we can not quite understand. I was told by a veteran at the wall that it is solid proof that what they witnessed was REAL, that the lives lost are not to be forgotten and that they must not let our current soldiers be treated as they were upon the end of the Vietnam era.

A special thank you to Erin and the City of Eustis for their efforts to make this happen. The ceremony was perfect and your music fest under the great oaks is well worth the ride.

By Lulu

In 15 years much has happened in our lives. Fantastic voyages on 2 wheels, births, deaths and birthdays. So, it was with great happiness that Janice Malik, owner of Stormy Hill Harley-Davidson hosted her 15th year birthday party for Stormy Hill Harley-Davidson in Clermont. She even has three employees who celebrated with her having been with her since the beginning, Steve (parts manager), Julie (moto-clothes) and Jamey (service foreman). Their efforts make Stormy Hill the kind of dealership that Harley corporate should be proud to have in their family!!! This dealership is thankful for all the wonderful folks that frequent their store. And Janice took the time during her celebration to thank everyone who calls Stormy Hill their Harley home and to thank the employees who drive her success. As I was taking pictures inside loud bells went off signaling the purchase of a motorcycle. I quickly located the happy new owner of his first Harley, a very young man, Cain Edge! I am betting this is only the first Harley he will buy from Stormy Hill!!!
As part of the party, a new Harley was given away and at 3pm the look of shock on 20-year-old Aaron Lovitt’s face was priceless. Attorney Fran Haasch gave a $200 gift card away and “Pocahontas” from LAMA walked away with that!
The free BBQ, cake and beer helped fuel the event while Highway Starz was rocking the crowd with classic southern rock and blues.
Here’s to 15+ more birthdays Stormy Hill and continued success!!!

By Larry Hineline

Photos by Audrey Popplewell

On April 22nd the Central Florida Cruisers held their annual Spring Fling. The event was a nice through the countryside ride followed by competitive games at the Cruiser’s Club House in Umatilla. The theme for the event was Key West and included a costume competition. Prizes were awarded for the three highest game scores and for the best costume and there was also a 50/50 drawing. A Caribbean style lunch was served to all who entered. The event was attended by over 100 bikers/trikers and one little yellow classic VW convertible. The Lake County Harley Owners Group took home the plaque for the largest guest organization followed closely by the Golden Eagles of Tampa and The Shekinah Riders. The Cruisers are in their 47th year and are now planning for their 47th Anniversary Party October 29th. You can follow the Cruisers at centralfloridacruisers.org or on Facebook. Come Ride With Us.

By Ron Cox

Several hundred people, riders, passengers and local towns people gathered at the plaza of Six Bends Harley-Davidson to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. The event was sponsored by the Ft. Myers Chapter of LAMA, the Latin American Motorcycle Association.

A large stage was set up at one end of the plaza and food trucks and other vendors ringed the perimeter offering many Latin favorites like nachos, tacos, quesadillas and mexi-burgers. Of course, there were beverage vendors offering imported favorites like Modelo and Coronas.

The stage was “bangin” with the Ben Allen Band and Sheena was the closing act. In between sets there was a habanero eating contest, Marty was the winner downing 11 of the spicy peppers in 30 seconds.

Contrary to popular belief Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day (which is Sept.16th) but rather it celebrates the victory of the Mexican army over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla.

LAMA was founded in Chicago in 1977. In 1995 a Chapter was formed in Miami and in 1996 LAMA became a National Association. LAMA Ft. Myers was founded in 2008.

By T-REX

The Saints M/C are known for helping others in need. This time it was one of their family members “Skittles”. Diagnosed with cancer last year she needed some help and the M/C came through with a fundraiser. But before the party got into high gear, Padre from the Spirit Riders said a little prayer and we took off on a 70-mile ride through the backroads and along the water with a stop at Jenna’s Breezeway, then to the Strawhat and finally up the B-line back to the club house. The BBQ was on with some real home cooking by the club. It was a good time by a great group of people. So, if you’re in the area stop by the clubhouse Thursday, Friday or Saturday after 7pm and tell them Thunder Roads sent ya. Thunder Roads Florida would like to send our condolences to Dameon, President of the Saints M/C on the passing of his Dad on Thursday before the benefit. But he was there at the head of the pack with Road Captain Sully heading us down the road.
God Bless T-REX

By Phoenix and Metric

As Veterans, very few days are more important than “Memorial Day”. For most Americans “Memorial Day” is the official start of summer filled with cookouts, a day at the beach or family outings. For most veteran, it is a day of remembrance. Memorial Day is not a day for the living. It is a day to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms here in America. It is a day to remember a “Brother” lost in a desert of the Mid-East, a “Father” lost in the jungles of Vietnam, a “Cousin” in Korea, a “Uncle” from WWII, a “Grandfather” from WWI and “ALL” the other family members we have lost in service to America. They are “NOT” here with us today so we “MUST” take a moment to remember them.

Each year we participate in several events around the county, this year we expanded the ceremonies to two counties. To start the day off right we had breakfast with our brothers at Bob Evans. Our first event was to participate in the county wide ceremony held at the Lakeview Memorial Gardens. Here we had a moment of silence with a “Son” who lost his life in a horrible traffic accident after returning home from the desert. Next, we headed off to honor the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 601 at Veteran’s Beach in Sebring. Our next stop was off to Avon Park where we honored one of our own, Col. Marshall “Ed” Jordan is Bulldog’s “Dad”. Our newest ceremony was in Arcadia. “Uncle Wayne” Dill was a WWII veteran who built his own memorial to Veterans on his property and passed away shortly after completing the memorial. He named it the “FORGET ME NOT” Memorial. The “Forget Me Not” Memorial is open to the public and is located on Hwy. 70 west of Arcadia, just behind the US Forestry station. Feel free to stop by and pay tribute to a fellow Veteran. For more information on the “FORGET ME NOT” Memorial contact Keith “TRIP” Gable at (863) 244-5167.