By Lulu

So, as we all know people on two and three wheels love a good bar with ice cold beer, great food and an outside area to visit with friends. Throw in some good music and a view even better! Well the owners and management of The Dog House in Port Orange and the newly opened Big Tuna’s Beach Front Bar & Grill are on to us!!!
The Dog House (the old Roadside Tavern) in Port Orange on 3400 S. Nova Road is bustling with events and is a favorite for poker run stops. They have ice cold beer, a full liquor bar, a huge outside deck with live music either on the big stage or on the back deck. Inside they have a stage and do fun things like Bonker’s Comedy Night on Thursday and Fridays and karaoke Tuesday and Wednesdays!! The food is awesome…gotta try their burgers!! Check their ad out in this issue for their nightly food specials. For Biketoberfest they have booked Big Engine on October 18th, Hillbilly Vegas on October 19th and Randy Woody on the 20th. You must check this bar out while you are in town!

Their newly opened Big Tuna’s Beach Bar & Grill is at 831 E. International Speedway Blvd. right before the beach with a view of the waves! Mimosas and Bloody Marys is a great way to start your morning or end your day! Ice cold beer or nice wine glass of wine is just a perfect thing to sip or gulp on a day of riding! Big Tunas also have live music on the outside patio with that ocean view!

When asked about future plans manager Stephen told us that they are looking to purchase more bars/restaurants throughout Florida, so if you know of anybody selling, or are looking to sell your own business, please call the Dog House and ask for Stephen at 386-872-7291.

by Phoenix and Metric-HD

Every day is a good day to ride, but Sunday is a “GREAT” day to ride. Sunday is Funday!!! All roads lead to Bo David’s Restaurant and Bar in Lake Placid. Whether you are riding with the “SON” and looking for a place to ride after church or you are chasing the tail of the dog after a rough Saturday night, Bo David is the place to go! The scenic ride to Bo David’s will allow you to enjoy the wonders of the “All Mighty” and it can also clear that fog from a long Saturday night of partying. Either way hit the ride and make a pit stop at Bo David’s Restaurant and Bar. When you get there tell them Metric from Thunder Roads Florida sent you. If you come out on the 1st Sunday of each month they have “Twisted Tea” specials, great food, cold drinks, music, games and a bikini bike wash. The party starts around 4pm. Phoenix and I are usually there that Sunday, so stop out and enjoy the day with us. We get out there after church and a short “scenic” ride around GOD’S great county. See you there be, safe riding and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!

By Lulu

The customers and friends of Gator Harley-Davidson in Leesburg were on hand to listen to the tunes of Bobby Blackmon and Hypersona celebrating the beginning of another year. Vendors were on hand to sell their wares and fill your belly. A portable pool was near the stage to take a dip in and I must admit even I had to take the plunge. Speaking of plunging, if you are interested in one of the 2019 models coming out, stop in and visit the staff at Gator Harley you won’t meet a better bunch!! They have a bike night on the first Friday of the month complete with live music, food trucks and games. Leesburg is a nice ride from any direction so dust off your bike and ride over, no sense in waiting for Leesburg Bike Fest for a nice time in Lake County.

By Lulu

Riding weather is here!!! And time to dust off the scoot! First place to put some miles on your tires should be a ride out to Renegade’s on the River in Crescent City. Tucked on a beautiful piece of property on the St. John’s River this is an awesome spot to put your kickstand down. The ride out is on beautiful country roads from all directions. No traffic!

Then once you pull in you will have to be impressed! They have a beautifully maintained RV campground, cottages, a full restaurant, AND a huge tiki bar. The tiki bar always has something going on. On Sundays they do $1.75 drafts, $2.75 domestics and $2.25 wells. Karaoke for those who like to sing a note or two is from 1-5p. If you arrive with your stomach growling…the food is great. Right at the tiki bar they have fresh Tuscan style pizza! See their ad in our magazine for more information on their restaurant specials and other entertainment schedule.

By Lulu

I used to live in Flagler Beach and I always loved a spot on the water below the bridge on 100 that brings you into Flagler Beach. The owners of Hidden Treasure in Port Orange and Ponce Inlet purchased the location in Flagler and have done great things with the place. All summer they ran a Summer Concert Series which included bands like Big Engine, Hayfire, and Peach Life to name a few. The atmosphere is awesome, the locals are great people, and I had great food every time I have been there. The music is from 6-10pm and they have extended it through September. So, get on your bike and ride to Hidden Treasure at 820 Moody Lane for a beautiful way to spend a Saturday evening!

By Lulu

Really thankful to be leaving the HOT, WET month of August behind. We have tons of traveling to do in September and hoping that the weather God will be a little kinder to all of us on two and three wheels. We rode on a ride out of Bay 3 Bar and it was sweltering. The cause for the run was to help a mother of four who had a house fire. And that is what I want to say today. As frigging hot as it was, with almost certain downpours expected, 60+ great people put 100+ miles on their bikes, dug cash out of their pockets and made it a GREAT day.

I know that happens every weekend all over the state and that is exactly what I love about you guys that love motorcycles. I doubt most of them knew this young mom. Didn’t matter one bit to them. There was a need, a reason to ride and a free lunch involved! It would have been easy to sit in a recliner with the AC cranking cool breeze, nice and dry, with an ice-cold beer from the fridge and watching some mindless sport on TV. But no out they all came to be a ribbon of riders supporting another cause.

On that subject there are some major events in September that we will be participating in. Would love to see you at them! On September 2nd the Angel Flight Ride starts at Beaver Bar in Ormond Beach. The 9/11 ride is on 9/9, put on by the Knights of Inferno in Bunnell, it is a free memorial ride and still as important as the first one. We must never forget the lives lost and the cost the terrorists caused this great country. There is the Phil Peterson Key’s run which raises money for charity it is September 14-16th. In October, the Boggy Creek Ride is scheduled for October 7th. And there is a Rotary Freedom Flight Ride out of Avon Park on October 13th. All of these are great causes.

We all know the fall rallies are right around the corner Biketoberfest, Cotee River Bike Fest and Thunder Beach. A new one is a Trike Fest in Ormond Beach spearheaded by Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona H-D.

We also are riding on a “Ride to Nowhere” out of The Boat Bar in Port Orange on September 29th come ride with us for a fun afternoon.

Ride on a charity ride, buy a stranger a beer and don’t forget your sunscreen!

By Lulu

So as far as being packed in like sardines goes…Chris’ Lounge couldn’t have made room for one more the night of their Summer Sizzler hosted by Rock of Daytona. Rhonda and Frank were at the mic playing games, The Wing House girls brought in food and the crowd was overflowing. Gina, Debbie and the rest of the crew kept the STIFF cocktails and ice-cold beer in our hands…all we had to do was lift and sip! One of the oldest family owned bars in Daytona is still the local’s hands down favorite!! Check them out while you are in town for Biketoberfest!

by Phoenix and Metric-HD

The Shadow Hunterz MC hosted their 2nd Annual Party in downtown historic Sebring. In a community of dirty old bikers, the Shadow Hunterz are probably the youngest and most active group of bikers around. It doesn’t matter if it is a bike night, a fundraiser for a needy family or even just a day ride with their Brothers you can count on the Shadow Hunterz to show up in force. They get it. They understand the meaning of the BIKER CODE.

Despite the weather, it did not stop them from hosting one hell of a party. They had a great time into the wee hours of the morning. There was free food, music, cold beer and drinks. The weather did put a damper on the outdoor activities, but everyone had a great time. They raffled off a neat hand gun and had a 50/50 drawing. Everyone that came out had a great time thanks to the Shadow Hunterz. We are looking forward to next year’s party to be even bigger and better, hopefully there will be better weather.

Finally, a big thank you to Sheila’s Corner Pub for allowing the Shadow Hunterz’ to host their party at her place. Sheila’s Corner Pub is a biker friendly bar in historic downtown Sebring with the coldest beer in town. Stop in and tell me Metric from Thunder Roads Florida sent you. They will take good care of you.

By Ron Cox

When tragedy strikes a community it often rises to the occasion. So, it was in late July when Ft. Myers Police Officer Adam Jobbers-Miller was shot in the head. For five days Officer Jobbers-Miller clung to life before succumbing to his injury. Fellow police officers from all over the country came to Ft. Myers to show their support.

Donations for the family came from everywhere. Bars, restaurants, health clubs and numerous other outlets held fundraisers to help deal with the struggles his passing
has created. At one point the sum raised was more than $50,000.

The motorcycling community is no exception so on August 12th a Memorial Motorcycle Ride was organized and hosted by Stu’s Motorcycles and the Indian Motorcycle Riders Group of SW Florida. Other fundraising rides are scheduled by two local Harley-Davidson dealerships.

Twelve hundred riders assembled at the only Indian dealership in SW Florida to register before setting out on the 50-mile route, ending at Ft. Myers Police Headquarters. The ride was escorted by multiple area law enforcement agencies. Members of Officer Jobbers-Miller family were on hand and accepted a check for $24,049 from representatives from Stu’s Motorcycles.

The alleged perpetrator was captured after exchanging gunfire with other officers and has been charged with 1st degree murder and could face the death penalty.

By Lulu

Bay 3 Bar in New Smyrna Beach is a favorite spot for locals, and one of the reasons other than ice cold beer and rock bottom prices, is the owners love their customers and community. Jan and Barry are always quick to help a good cause. They heard about a mother of 4 who had a house fire and needed some help and became the starting and ending stop for the generous bikers that gave their Saturday to ride.

The stops included Tailgatorz, Foxheads, Cabbage Patch Bar and The Dog House. An amazing lunch of chicken and pork tenderloin with all the fixings was served. The silent and live auction, 50/50 and raffle tickets helped raise the needed funds to make repairs to Monica’s home. The good news was no one was hurt in the housefire and the poker run was a huge success to help make the devastation of a fire just an inconvenience not a tragedy. Thanks Jan, Barry and all the volunteers!! And a special thanks to each of those who rode!!!

Phoenix and Metric-HD

The Patriotic Guard Riders of Florida have teamed up with the Gary Sinise Foundation to bring the SNOWBALL EXPRESS to Florida. The Snowball Express is a charity for the children of our fallen military heroes giving hope and new memories. This year the Snowball Express is coming to Disney in December bringing nearly 800 Gold Star children and their families. As you can see this project is going to take a lot of time, effort and money. To get this train rolling Space Coast Harley-Davidson along with the United States Motorcycle Corps Charities and the Patriot Guard Riders (PGR) hosted a Snowball Express Loop Run and After Party. We had a great day and raised a little money for the Snowball Express. This is just one of many fundraisers that they need to offset the cost of this GREAT endeavor. Keep an eye out for more upcoming events.

They need approximately 1500 volunteers to help with this great project. They need medical teams, volunteer teams, corporate teams, high achool teams/clubs, JROTC, Scouts, churches, community groups, you name it. If you would like to volunteer or someone you know is interested in volunteering please register at: signup.snowballexpress.org. To register as a group please have representative contact the Snowball Express Volunteer coordinator, Michelle Carline at 940-783-2191 or m.carline@snowballexpress.org. Please share with everyone you know. Hope to see you at Snowball Express in December.

If you belong to any Veterans organization such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS or any other organization this is a project that needs your attention. To quote the Vietnam Veterans of America motto: “Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another” GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

By Lulu

Friends come and go in life. Some you lose due to distance, some from difference of opinions and sometimes it is from a tragedy. Tall Pete was well loved by his friends and family. Those who know him well say he was the first to help anyone in need, often even though he was in chronic pain. We happened upon a run in his memory and got caught in the web of love they were weaving in his memory!

The ride started at First Turn, headed to The Boat Bar which is where we met them, then off to Winner’s Bar, followed by Bay 3 Bar with the final stop at American Legion. What really was impressive was how much this man is missed by those riding for him today, you could feel their sadness and the happiness of being together for Pete!

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.

The numbers of motorcycles were down this year due to Tropical Storm Alberto. However, with approximately 120+ 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

Tucked out in Welaka is a very cool spot with fun people on both sides of the bar! When Waylon and Tonya decided to start a monthly bike night they invited us out and we were pleasantly surprised by how many peeps we knew from Palm Coast and even Daytona that rode out for the evening! This is a bar owned by a couple who really love to get on the bike and ride!

We have seen Waylon walk away with first place at a Yuengling sponsored tattoo contest at the Boot Hill Saloon during Bike Week, run into them in Palatka at 3-D Saloon where Amy and Donnie packed the place with the band Framing the Red and spotted them at OB’s for a Wednesday night bike night. Usually it is hard to get bar owners to step away from their own establishment for an evening!

Well Long’s hosted a bike night with live music that included a chick playing drums which were a variety of buckets, put on a delicious spread of appetizers and featured $1.50 domestics! We coerced the crowd into a group shot and they could not have been nicer as it was a bit hot on the July evening…leaving the AC for the parking lot was asking a lot!

The trip out to Welaka is a beautiful country ride whether you are riding in from Ocala, Deland, Daytona or St. Augustine. Their bike night will be on the 2nd Thursdays beginning at 6pm. Take your bike out of the garage, dust off the cobwebs and ride out to Welaka for an enjoyable evening. Their ad is on the page next to this article featuring different nights when they have live music!

Thanks for a great evening guys and for joining the Thunder Roads Florida family!