By Lulu

This was the second Memorial Day Weekend that we joined hundreds of others to show support for our veterans, first responders and those who have given their lives for our country. We thoroughly enjoyed the escorted ride from Deltona City Hall after our complimentary Dunkin Donuts & coffee. Veterans Enforcer Motorcycle Association and the City of Deltona hosted this event. Our law firm, Rue & Ziffra, PA have been sponsors of this event along with Lowe’s, Family Health Source, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Deltona Firefighters Foundation, TD Pro Solution, Division Weapons, Seminole H-D, Cigar Hustler, and Daytona Dodge. A moving tribute included the Missing Man Table, presentation of colors and amazing singing by a young lady. There were food trucks, vendors, and LOTS of patriotism! Our Florida Senator, Tom Wright, was even among the speakers (we also happened to see him in Sturgis at Rusty Wallace’s NASCAR Foundation ride). Thank you to all who worked and sponsored this event!

While in Sturgis, we had to have a 5,000-mile service and our friend Heavy from Midwest Motorcycles worked us in even though he had a boat load of work to get through to be able to head back to Florida. Heavy has a project coming up after Biketoberfest that I am asking all who are able bodied to help him with. The cemetery across from Boot Hill Saloon and Main Street Station on Main Street in Daytona, has had some vandalism and is in disrepair. He has already started a movement to clean the historic cemetery up, but there are some projects that need some extra muscle! Many of the headstones have been knocked over intentionally, these are stones that date from the Civil War era. They now have the city helping to keep vagrants out and hopefully keep this from recurring. So, I know some of you muscle guys that ride need a reason to strut your stuff and this would be a great cause. Rumor is that when we have the workday or two that there will be rewards provided by the local bars after the work out session.

On a sad note, a friend and riding buddy who rode with us on many of the Mystery Rides out of The Boat Bar, died while riding on his trip in Sturgis. We heard the sad news about “Junkyard” Joseph Pandolfi from Gator Ken when we arrived in Sturgis and it certainly filled us with sorrow. I heard it occurred in Wyoming. His girlfriend, “Kat” Kathleen Marin was injured in the accident. We don’t have any more information than that as of today.

By Lulu

One of the highlights of our summer ride to the Smokies was a stop at Copperhead Lodge & The Flying Trout Restaurant in Blairsville, Georgia. What a gem this place turned out to be! Nestled on 40 rolling acres in the heart of the mountains, this motorcycle resort feels like a home away from home for riders.

The property offers cozy one- and two-bedroom cabins—complete with kitchens, AC, wi-fi, porches, hot tubs, and even garages for your bike. If you don’t need a full cabin, the Lodge has comfortable rooms with covered parking right underneath, making it easy to tuck your ride in for the night.

Of course, the food is just as impressive. The Flying Trout Restaurant, located on-site, served us a delicious lunch during our visit. They also have live music every Friday and Saturday night, which is truly enjoyable. The Lodge’s inviting wrap-around porch, with its mountain views and outdoor fireplace, is the perfect place to relax after a long ride. Inside, you’ll also find a warm fireplace for those cool autumn evenings—a true retreat once the fall riding season rolls in. And if you’re visiting in the summer, you can cool off with a refreshing dip in the sparkling pool after tackling nearby rides like the 29-mile trip to Raven Cliff Falls, the Suches Loop, the Cherohala Skyway, the Tail of the Dragon, or The Gauntlet.

We aren’t the only ones who fell in love with Copperhead Lodge. Friends of ours, Gordy & Debbie, chose it for their anniversary getaway and couldn’t stop raving about it. They were even greeted with flowers waiting in their cabin—such a thoughtful touch. Gordy shared photos of their cabin, and it was every bit as charming as he described.

Copperhead Lodge & The Flying Trout Restaurant is located at 171 Copperhead Parkway in Blairsville. You’ll find their full ad in this issue, complete with phone number and QR code for easy access. Whether you’re riding through for the day or looking for the perfect base camp to explore North Georgia’s breathtaking roadways, this spot truly has it all.

By Lulu

We rode down to Edgewater for the first antique bike show hosted by Jim Lynch at his new bike shop/bar, Godfather’s Custom Cycles & Good Fellas. Lots of regulars from the antique bike world were in attendance and of course taking home trophies. If you haven’t checked out his new space, the bar staff is friendly, beer is ice cold, and he does a Saturday bike night with bucket specials and live music from 7-11pm. They are starting a karaoke contest with cash prizes qualifying begins October 3rd, cash prizes total $2500!! Jim is also hosting a swap meet on October 4th. It starts at 9am. The address is 187 S. Ridgewood Ave., Edgewater. And getting ready for Biketoberfest Friday the 17th from 5-9p Blistur will take his stage, and on Saturday the 18th Vermillion from 5-9p. So, saddle on up and visit Jim and his crew!

By Lulu

Having lived most of my adult life in the Florida panhandle, one of my favorite rallies (and my first ever rally) has been Thunder Beach in Panama City Beach. This is a spring and fall rally with normally beautiful weather, beaches, bikes, and girls! A paradise for motorcyclists. The one downfall would be traffic, but you have plenty to look at while sitting on your bike on Front Beach Rd. The rally has gone back to its roots with the original management and ownership back at the helm! Good news to us at Thunder Roads Florida! Thunder Beach has multiple hot spots including the main vendor location at Frank Brown Park featuring live music. There is also Panama City H-D, the Indian dealership, Crossroads, featuring the Full Throttle Bike Show and a sound competition, Bike Rack with live music and a festival feel with corn hole, stunt shows and Sloan, Hammerhead Fred’s and various other bars including, The Salty Goat and Ms. Newby’s…and of course “the beautiful white, sugar sand beaches on the Gulf of America”! The Hideout is a nice 35-minute ride out to Ponce de Leon where they feature great food, BBQ, biker games and Hammerhead Fred’s has been the site of one of the hottest bikini contests anywhere AND the famous band Buck Wild. There are lots of great restaurants in town too, including Captain Anderson’s, Sharkey’s, and The Wicked Wheel. If you haven’t ventured up to Panama City Beach for a rally yet, the next one is October 22nd -26th, book your hotel or campground now, throw a bathing suit in your saddle bags and come up to the party!

By Lulu

The last Sunday of Bike Week the bad ass boys and girls of Flagler County bring their “bad ass” toys out to show the masses at Broken Spoke Saloon. The perfect spot for a car show! The large oaks give shade. The live music and bars make a perfect afternoon for car viewing. This group has quite a collection! Along with being a club of cool car and truck collectors, these guys raise funds each year for Camp Boggy Creek and do a Toys for Tots drive. Thank you to Broken Spoke for Saloon for providing the perfect venue and bringing something different to Bike Week and to Rue & Ziffra Law Group for their continued sponsorship of events in our community!

By Lulu

OCC Roadhouse and Museum along with Bert’s Barracuda Harley-Davidson put on one hell of a 3-day show. Friday night they kicked off with TL Jentgens, a solo drummer act that made the trip over to Clearwater well worth it! Saturday was the public ride-in bike show and the first day of the invitational builders’ awards. Soul Fish, Sammy & The Knights and Stormbringer entertained the builders and large crowds who came to enjoy the builds and music. Sunday started with the Sunshine Skyway Ride led by Paul Sr. Once they returned to the bike show, the 2nd day of builder awards continued. The music on Sunday included The Mordigans and Ten Ton Mojo out of New York. Dozens of top tier builders from across the US accepted the invitation to show off their talents! I am always amazed at the creativity of custom builders. Paul Sr. said, “This is more than a show-it’s a family reunion for the custom culture. The craftsmanship, the passion, and the community-it reminds you why we fell in love with bikes in the first place.” OCC Roadhouse and Bert’s Barracuda H-D put this on with sponsorship from Fran Haasch Law Group and Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. It is a great weekend so put this on your Not to Miss List for 2026! More photos of the day and winners are on our Thunder Roads Florida Facebook and the winners of the Builder Invitational are listed below.
SATURDAY
BAGGER:
PEOPLE’S CHOICE-NICK MORALES
PAUL SR.’S PICK-NICK WEIR
BUILDERS’ PICK-NICK MORALES
CRUISER:
PEOPLE’S CHOICE-MIKE DE SOMMA
PAUL SR.’S PICK-JEFF MORGAN
BUILDERS’ PICK-DELL BATTLE
SPORT’S BIKE:
PEOPLE’S CHOICE-DELL BATTLES
PAUL SR.’S PICK-DOMINIQUE JONES
BUILDERS’ PICK-DELL BATTLE
CAFÉ RACER:
PEOPLE’S CHOICE-OLIFF GORDON
PAUL SR.’S PICK-TIM SCATER
BUILDERS’ PICK-DOMINIQUE JONES
SUNDAY:
VINTAGE/RETRO/OLD SCHOOL:
PEOPLE’S CHOICE-MATTHEW THOMPSON
PAUL SR.’S PICK-TIM SCATER
BUILDERS’ PICK-CHAD BOLENDER
RAT ROD/CRAZINESS:
PEOPLE’S CHOICE-JOSEPH GREULICH
PAUL SR.’S PICK-CLAY KRICK
BUILDERS’ PICK-DOMINIQUE JONES
BOBBER: PEOPLE’S CHOICE-MIKE DE SOMMA
BOBBER: PAUL SR.’S PICK-MATTHEW THOMPSON
BOBBER: BUILDERS’ PICK-CHRISTOPHER WILSON
CHOPPER: PEOPLE’S CHOICE- MATTHEW THOMPSON
CHOPPER: PAUL SR.’S PICK-DAVID HOPKINS
CHOPPER: BUILDERS’ PICK-DREW JONES
OVERALL BEST IN SHOW: DREW JONES
SPECIAL BUILDER LOYALTY AWARD: STINKEYE CUSTOM

By Lulu

Paul Millard opened his motorcycle business in Perry, Florida twelve years ago. Originally from Lake City, Paul moved to Perry in 1998. He grew up riding minibikes and dirt bikes since childhood, like most who end up riding as adults, but what was a fun thing as a child became a life passion for Paul. Paul went from selling used parts to bike repairs and builds. He currently has twenty bikes in his stable. His building got hit hard by Hurricane Helene, I even saw his shop’s damage featured on the news! They made a “porch” out of part of the damaged area, where friends and clients gather on a regular basis. His plans for the future of RP Specialties are to get a dealership and finance license, and to hold a Swap Meet in the spring each year. As any of us who are in business know, free time is rare, but he and his wife April have two children and one grandchild who they love to spend time with. Or, Paul says you may find him either riding his bike or hanging out in the pool! Shop hours are 10am-5pm Monday through Friday. RP Specialties is located at 2673 S. Byron Butler Parkway in Perry. His phone number is 850-843-0151. The bike Paul and his crew are posing with in the photo is his custom build, including the paint job…and it is for sale! He took home a trophy during Full Throttle’s Bike Show at Leesburg Bikefest. The craftsmanship and work coming out of this shop is top notch and done by a great guy and his talented crew!

You know I rave about the generosity of motorcyclists, about the extreme talent of bike builders and painters; but the reality of motorcycling is it is all about getting on your bike and putting miles on it. Our friend Doug submitted a photo of him and his bike that just hit 100,000 miles! Lots of us have that many miles on the saddle, but few on the same bike. And to brag on Doug a bit he shows up everywhere, particularly rides for veterans and firefighters, since I have known him, he hasn’t missed a 9/11 ride, not surprising as he is from New York. There are lots of 9/11 rides coming up in September. More than we usually hear about, the one we ride every year is in Bunnell. The Knights of Inferno and the Punisher MC out of Flagler host it. It is astounding that this will be 24 years since those planes changed so many lives. And I am impressed by those of us who will not let a year pass without giving tribute to those who lost their lives and the heroes of that day!

Find a 9/11 ride to show we won’t forget! Be a Doug: put some miles on your bike, travel a new highway, and don’t forget your sunscreen!

By Lulu

Bike Week has bike shows all over town, but one of the favorites for those in attendance is Dennis Kirk’s at Broken Spoke Saloon. First off, the venue is amazing. The giant oaks, the pavers, the music, the bartenders…everything is exactly right for an enjoyable day of motorcycles. Secondly the show is for “Garage Builds”! The guys and gals have actually wrenched these masterpieces together in their own garages, or in one guy’s case, his shed! For those living under a rock, Dennis Kirk is a web retailer whose tag line is We Ship Today! From tires to apparel to helmets and parts you can put anything you might need in your cart or as they refer to the shopping list “your garage” and have it shipped. More photos of the bikes and winners can be viewed on our Thunder Roads Florida Facebook.

By Lulu

This was our first time to Panama City Beach since The Bike Rack venue opened. It is very centrally located on Front Beach Rd. Vendors and a large tent covered bar including the infamous Sloan slinging cocktails provided a perfect perch to spend the afternoon. A great stunt show featuring Doug Meeker entertained the large crowd. Cornhole, boxing machines and such gave people enjoying the sunny day something to challenge themselves and each other. Live music got people (who probably shouldn’t have been) dancing up on tables featuring stripper poles. Twisted Tea is a sponsor of this venue, so we got a chance to hang out with Bill for a bit, and that always makes it…a TWISTED good day!

By Lulu

Out in Green Cove Springs some peeps organized a day on motorcycles for a friend fighting Multiple Myeloma, Amie Seitz Johns. The ride started at Boogerville, headed to Crossroads, with the next stop at the Oasis in San Mateo to have a drink at Tia and Larry’s place. Saddled up again to head to Lisa and Sheldon’s The Hideaway in Pomona Park. Final stop was at Tonya and Waylon’s bar Long’s Log Cabin. Quite a ride! Lots of angels on two and three wheels took their day to help out someone they love with her medical expenses! I don’t care what anybody says…bikers are exceptional people who always do whatever it takes to show people they are loved! Thank you to the organizers of Amie’s ride, to the bars and others who donated items and particularly to those who took their day and a little bit of cash out of their pockets to lift Amie’s spirits!

By Lulu

Cancer hits hard, especially when it hits friends and loved ones. Julie is a well-known and well-loved bartender at Boot Hill who got a big hug from friends recently when they threw a benefit ride for her. Hugs usually come in the form of two arms wrapped around you, but when a community of bikers come together, straddle their motorcycles and raise much needed funds to cover expenses due to her fight with cancer…well that is bigger than any bear hug! TJ and I weren’t able to make this event, but friends submitted photos of the day’s event. A huge smile was on Julie’s face and sometimes that is just what the doctor orders! Thank you to the participating bars which I believe were Boot Hill, The Boat, Sorry Charlie’s, and Beaver Bar, to the organizers for caring enough to take an event on for Julie, and to all who spent their day spreading their love!