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!

By Lulu

If you ride and live in the greater Daytona area you are certain to spend New Year’s Eve on Main Street. The street was closed to traffic and the ball dropped at midnight and fireworks spray to announce the ending of a year and the birth of a new one. The Boot Hill Saloon made the evening extra special with Miss Intent rocking the stage. The crowd was huge and Karin had a spread of food at midnight for those who could eat after downing beers and cocktails all night long! The Rock of Daytona throws their anniversary or “birthday” party at the Boot on New Year’s and so Frank, Patty and Rhonda were throwing out freebies and slicing cake. Don’t forget that all year long The Boot Hill has Wednesday night bike nights and live music 6 days a week, it isn’t just a spot to party during Bike Week, Biketoberfest or New Year’s Eve. They love their bikers everyday!

by Kim Chalmers

The thunder or rumbling of motorcycles overpowered the sound of crashing waves as Pensacola Beach opened its arms to the Thunder Beach Bike Rally for one exciting day. As a Pensacola, Florida native, I’ve seen the devastation of storms from Frederick to Ivan; however, our coastal towns had never seen the catastrophic devastation of a storm like Hurricane Michael, destroying everything in its 350-mile wide path, including Panama City and Mexico Beach.

A determined Event Director and a sympathetic community rallied together to move the event to Pensacola. They made sure it had all the things that make Thunder Beach such a great Rally, including a great bike show, clothing booths, food, multiple custom motorcycle vendors, lots of entertainment and a scenic ride from Pensacola Beach to Perdido Key to the Famous, Flora Bama for even more music and fun.

The outpouring of support heated up an otherwise chilly day and everyone seemed to have the same purpose, to keep the traditions of Thunder Beach Bike Rally while showing their support for those whose lives have been forever altered by the recent storm. This was a very special Thunder Beach Bike Rally, not only because donations from vendors and tickets sales went to help storm victims and restoration efforts, but as the bikes rumbled into to Casino Beach under the widely recognized beach ball water tower, I was reminded that the fortitude of bikers was stronger than any storm.

by Jeani G.

OB’s Restaurant and Lounge in DeLand hosted Russ & Bob’s 17th annual Panhead/Shovelhead/Antique Party on November 18th … and to say this year’s event was a success, would be an understatement! Hundreds of old-school motorcycle enthusiasts rode in under beautiful sunny skies to enjoy a day full of food, fun, awesome bikes and great music!

With so many beautiful vintage Harleys, our esteemed panel of judges: Marshall, Marvin, Walter, Cap, and featuring Willie from Tropical Tattoo, definitely had their work cut out for them in selecting the winners from a total of 61 entries:

• Stock Panhead – Mark Hampton – 1958 FLH
• Custom Panhead – Robert Green – 1949
• Stock Shovelhead – Billy Oremovich – 1984 FLHX
• Custom Shovelhead – James Roth – 1974
• Antique – John Bartman – 1923 Model J (Cannonball Run participant)
• Best in Show – Gary Margoni – 1948 Flathead
• People’s Choice – presented by Lulu and TJ of Thunder Roads Florida to Lisa Musolino for her 1979 custom Shovelhead

Live music by Beautiful Bastards and Hot Streak kept the crowd rocking all day long. Pinup Parlor Boutique hosted a pinup girl contest, and 95.7 HOG radio did a live feed sponsored by Rue & Ziffra. You could play Giant Jenga with Bill Grotto of Twisted Tea, test your throwing arm at the “Dunk the Hottie” tank, take part in a 50/50 raffle or enjoy a delicious Pulled Pork Sundae served by Rob, TK, Al and George with proceeds going to Toys 4 Tots.

Dave served up platters of smoked chicken and ribs, while Mama T’s Sweet Treats offered goodies like funnel cake, deep fried oreos and hot boiled peanuts. Other vendors included Sherzer Insurance, jewelry and T-shirts tents, and Yuengling girls passing out fun promo items. Mark Hall Riding & Flying filmed the day’s activities – his video can be found on YouTube. Hundreds of amazing photos were taken by Lulu, TJ, Sherry and Ava and can be viewed and shared on Facebook under OBsBarDeLand and ThunderRoadsFlorida.

Kristie and Ken did an awesome job organizing the event, and OB’s staff (Kristie, Linda, Dani, Keelie, Bobbi Jo and Eric, as well as Jason, Ellen, Stephen and Tony) did an amazing job serving the vast crowd. Our parking volunteers CJ, Steve and Zack kept traffic moving, while Nancy and Jan jumped in to help Jeani at the registration desk and hand out the People’s Choice voting stones. A special “Thank you” goes out to all of our sponsors, vendors, staff and volunteers who made the day a huge success!

No doubt, there’s always a good time to be had at OB’s in DeLand. OB (Ron), Tina and Kristie serve up heaping helpings of hospitality and host various events every single week, raising money for charities and helping those in need throughout the community. Be sure to come out to OB’s for their Wednesday Bike Nites – starting at 6 pm, featuring live music and food and drink specials … great service, great people and lots of fun! Hope to see you there!

By Lulu

Troy’s Pub in Ormond Beach on Nova Road celebrated their second anniversary on New Year’s Eve with one of the best spreads of free food I have enjoyed in quite a while. Troy and his mom Dee run the bar with a homelike hospitality. Everyone in the bar seems to know each other. We were also proud to be part of a huge Christmas bicycle collection the bar was a sponsor of.

The bikes were collected and dispersed to Family Renew and other needy organizations, but one of my favorite parts of this event was that some of the bikes were given to the local police departments to give to needy families in their districts. That creates a double whammy. First, a child in need gets a nice Christmas. And second, the police get a chance to have a friendly interaction within their beats. That can go a long way to putting forth an image of the police as not being something to fear. I have known

Troy and his mom for a little over a year now and along with serving ICE COLD beer in a super friendly atmosphere they just seem to be in business to help others!!! Whether you are looking for a place to karaoke, listen to Ashley Young sing a set or two, needing a stop for your poker run or wanting to play a game of pool, hop on your bike and ride to Troy’s Pub. Let’s make their third year the best yet!!!