By Ron Cox

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The SWFL Chapter of the Harley Owners Group (HOG) and Six Bends Harley-Davidson hosted its 12th Annual Easter Bunny Toy Run on Saturday April 4th. The run is always held on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. The “Bunny Run” marks the first run held at Six Bends HD’s new location, the old dealership was Ft. Myers HD.

Almost 600 bikes and more than 850 riders/passengers assembled for the ride to Golisano Children’s Hospital at Health Park. The ride was escorted by motors and cruisers from the Lee County Sheriff’s Department.

Festivities started on Friday night with pre-registration and bike night at Six Bends. Riders received a packet of goodies which included info from local businesses, a beverage coozie and the commemorative pin. The Gotta Luv It band entertained with lots of Rock, Motown and Oldies. Of special interest was a card with details regarding the 2015 Florida HOG Rally which will be hosted by Six Bends HD, called The Roar to the Shore.

The weather on Saturday morning couldn’t have been better. Clear blue skies and low humidity. There was more than adequate parking and chapter volunteers lined up the row upon row of bikes. At the appointed time the Easter Bunny appeared and led the procession of bikes on the 17 mile ride to the hospital.

Hospital staff brought the ambulatory patients down to the entrance to watch the motorcycles ride by. More than one youngster (and adult) covered their ears as the bikes rode by.

Once inside, the Easter Bunny was the center of attention as he greeted each child with a small gift. A huge Harley crate decorated like an Easter basket was filled to overflowing with toys, boxed games and arts/crafts supplies brought by the riders. Linen carts and plastic bins were on hand and filled with the overflow. Lee Memorial Health System President Jim Nathan spoke briefly, welcomed and thanked the riders for their support.

After months of planning another Easter Bunny Toy Run is in the books and planning starts for next year’s run.

By Lulu

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One of my favorite events of the year is the Dania Beach Vintage Bike Show in late January. It occurs in Frost Park and is a great event…attended by thousands. Including over 300 antiques bikes, field games, vendors, food, and live music by a fabulous band The Whipping Post, a huge swap meet and an antique bicycle display there is plenty to keep you entertained all day. I am telling you put this on your January events not to miss for 2016!!!

By Deborah Speicher

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I participated in the First Annual Shakes, Rattles, Rides & Rods to benefit Parkinson’s Disease. Spearheading this event was Mike Savidge of Go For A Ride Magazine and Rick Karczewski of AmVets Post 44. About five years ago, Mike’s wife Charlette was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and, more recently, Rick was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, as well. I too had a personal interest in supporting this event as I watched my dad suffer and finally die from Parkinson’s Disease. I found that most of the participants also had a family member who had been affected. All proceeds from this event were donated for research to Team Fox (part of the Michael J. Fox Foundation) and to the Frances J. Zesiewicz Foundation for Parkinson’s.

We were given a choice of taking part in a ride which started at American Legion Post 148 or going directly to the event site at Hidden River Travel Resort. I took the scenic ride with the large group leaving Post 148. We arrived at Hidden River to a party with food, live music by the Honky Tonk Hitmen, vendors, classic and show cars, and more.

Hundreds of riders and other supporters turned out for this event and, from what I have heard, monies raised exceeded expectations. Please consider supporting an event that benefits Parkinson’s Disease research. Not only is there no cure, the medicines available to patients don’t always work. Let’s eradicate this disease in our lifetime.

By Ron Cox

Under a perfect blue sky and low humidity, the City of Ft. Myers hosted its next to last Bike Night on Saturday, March 14th. In an arrangement with the City of Cape Coral, the two alternate hosting Bike Nights.

First Street downtown was closed off and there were bands at each end and vendors on both sides of the street. Cross streets also were lined with vendors and the many eateries in the area had plenty of tables and chairs set up to cater to the hungry bikers. The aroma of charcoal broiled burgers made everybody want to eat not to mention the many lovely barmaids set up curbside to help the riders quench their thirst.

Cape Coral’s last Bike Night of the season will be on Saturday, April 11th while Ft. Myers will host its last Bike Night on May 9th. For a great time, hope we see you there!!!!

By Billy “Kneecap” Braddock

Now that Bike Week is over, I decided to expand my brain in my big head. Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time researching trivia, politics, and history. I have now decided to expand my thinking and get into science and art. With all the hullabaloo about global warming (a.k.a. climate change) I decided to investigate the arts and sciences of climate change. The Green Tree huggers have given up on blaming CO2 gases on global warming and have now decided that methane (CH4) is more destructive to the atmosphere… So who and what produce methane? I understand wetlands, ocean leaks, termites, cows, and humans. Since wetlands are protected the warmers won’t mention it. I understand the ocean constantly is leaking methane as well as oil. I don’t have any termites or cows but I understand termites fart more and produce more methane than cows. After finally controlling cow farts, maybe we should put a catalytic converter up our asses.

So let’s look at the science of Farting. What is a Fart? “Frequently Activated Rectal Tremor”. The first part of the science of Farting is finding the Farter. Remember the saying, “Whoever smelt it dealt it?” That’s probably not true. The Farter probably would smell it last because the Fart would be propelled away from him. Some are also inaudible to the human ear, especially from females. You can only tell if she smiles, looks at somebody else, and all of the dogs in the neighborhood start to howl. The most famous Fart food is the bean. If Boston known for its famous “Boston Baked Beans” had eaten more of their beans and Farted more, they may have raised the temperature and not ended up with 9 feet of snow.

Now, let’s look at the Art of Farting. The art form of a good Fart has been around since man first started to eat fruits, nuts and dinosaurs. The Fart isn’t just a stinky buildup of gas released from your butthole. It can be called an art-form or a fart-form. Comedians have made a living off of Fart jokes for years. Have you ever said “Pull My Finger”? How many of you have held a lighter to your butt and let a blue flame shoot out and burn all the hair on your ass? Remember not to squeeze too hard or you might end up with Obamacare. Remember when Nancy Pelosi said “You have to pass it to find out what’s in it”. That’s a good definition of a stool sample.

April Is National Humor Month. Sometimes there’s a lot more truth in humor. I was sitting with a guy in a bar the other day and he said to me…quote “I’ve had bypass surgeries, hip and knee replacement, I’m half blind, can’t hear most things, take medications that make me dizzy, subject to blackouts and dementia, hardly feel my hands and feet anymore, can’t remember if I’m 80 or 90, lost most of my friends, but thank God I still have my Florida drivers license.”

I don’t want to brag but I can still fit into the socks I wore in high school.

Read more of what I’ve got to say on my website nobodiesopinion.com

See you on the shiny side up tomorrow

By Eric Darrow

Ask anyone who knows me and I can be rather harsh when it comes to live music. I recently had a need for something new, I wanted soft and powerful, I needed some hard jammin’ blues and so the fun began with a search on Daytona Rocks.com.  First on my agenda was a great sub so we stopped at Manzano’s Beachside Deli in New Smyrna Beach for sandwiches then headed on to eat and listen to ETC at Traders on Flagler in New Smyrna Beach on the back patio. They are an acoustic band from Flagler County consisting of Joe Ricker formerly of Southbound on guitar, Keith Blackmon from Black Hawk Station on electric bass and Cristi Kamps providing Lead Vocals. (ETCtrio.com)

Personally I like good solid harmony and when you couple great harmony with quite possibly the smoothest vocals around. Kapow! I found myself singing without reserve, and just plane groovin’.  They played from 7 until 11pm and happy hour was 2-4-1 from 8 to 10p, a plus in my book.  This was our second time seeing these three and they just keeping getting better. I will definitely be back.

Next we crossed the street to the OM Bar for Little Mike and the Tornado’s a blues band with Mike on keys and mouth harp and a lead guitar who took me back to the true meaning of rock and roll. Again I was impressed and felt like we hit the jackpot. When Little Mike played that harmonica is wasn’t a slur. This band was tight and reminded me of the origin of Rock and Roll baby. Everyone was jim jammin’ with the band and dancin’ in their seats and on the floor.

By Eric Darrow

We decided to go see a friend in Brandon, stay over and ride on to the Madeira Beach Bike Fest. Well the cold never stopped me from riding or complaining about it, and we left out of the Daytona area around half past five on an already cold day. As soon as we came up on O-town our greeting was cars stopping quick, slow go, no go and oh no! The next 50 miles were misery. And it only got a little better as we passed the mouse ear electric pole. The cagers went into sprint car mode and were changing lanes so fast and without signals. I don’t recall using my horn so much or clutching the bike without my hands. Finally the GPS had us get off I4 and ran us through strawberry country with beat up roads and construction barriers everywhere.

After a two hour ride that lasted 3.5 hours we hooked up with friends for dinner and some incredible partying at some Irish Pub with live classic rock and roll including Hendrix, Zepplin and lots of shots. The rest of the night rocked on until we found ourselves hitting the wall. Sunday with sunshine on our backs we headed for Madeira Beach. After finding every detour in the Tampa area we finally rolled into the Bike Fest. Or should I say what the hell. The event was one block long maybe sixty bikes, 15 vendors and more trophies than participating bikes. After a 10 minute walk up and back it was time to head home. So if you ever hear about this event and decide it might be fun, I suggest you open up a Thunder Roads Florida and pick a place instead. Stay warm my friends.

By Phoenix and Metric

“Why does Vietnam Still Matter?” Just look at today’s headlines; IRAQ: THE NEW VIETNAM!!! Vietnam matters for so many reasons, some of which still haunt our Veterans today. It was the first war that the public media had real time access to the battle front and Americans were portrayed as the villains. Vietnam was highly politicized and the politicians would not allow the soldiers on the ground to win the war. It’s the first war where a third world country defeated the super power of America. It was the beginning of the decline of respect for America all around the world. It was a time when “So-Called” Americans sided with the enemy. Today those same “So-called” American are running America.

Recently, Phoenix and I had the privilege to visit the Vietnam Memorial Wall and it was a very special event for us for many reasons. We have had the honor to escort the wall on previous occasions. On those occasions we have witnessed the pain and tears of our brothers who have memories of their time in Vietnam. We have witnessed the healing power when they hear the words “WELCOME HOME, BROTHER”, words they did not hear on their return home from serving their country. We have felt the spirits of the souls of whose who names appear on the wall.

We can not allow ourselves to return to those days. Bikers know the true meaning of “FREEDOM”, so I ask my brothers and sisters to stand up for America by “Doing the Right Thing”. If you get a chance to do an escort or simply say “Welcome Home” never pass up the opportunity. Enjoy your freedom and hit the open road. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND SAFE RIDING!!!

The 6th Annual RIDE FOR THE STONE was a charity event held by the Bradley Summersill Foundation, Inc. which raises monies to provide a memorial stone, engraving and placement for those persons who have lost a child and cannot afford to honor them with a grave site marker. Over the past three years, they have placed twenty memorials and presently have five on order. This year’s ride enjoyed over 100 participants’s, foul weather and earned in excess of $ 6500. The event is a positive, friendly and inclusive event where solid friendships are made. By the end of the run, there are no strangers, no feeling of being there by yourself.

The foundation was created in 2010 by Peggy and Brian Summersill after the loss of their son. They were fortunate that family and friends came together to purchase him a memorial and with the monies remaining they chose to pay it forward. Thank you, Brian and Peggy.

This is my second run. This year’s turnout was terrific. Breakfast was provided by the Winter Garden Elks. The end of the ride was warm and dry At the Clermont Moose they donated all of the money from the beer sales. Music was the best and provided by Accuzed, my all time favorite band.

Next year’s ride will be the same weekend after the 500 and before Bike Week. WE GOT THIS!

By Eric Darrow

If you missed the last Lil Rudy run that raised money for the Shriners Hospital you missed a hell of a lot of fun. As far as I can tell everyone had a blast, Meeting new friends and old alike. The fun run was hosted by Rudy’s Crossroads in Deland at 44 and I-4 at the Budget Inn, Terrific turnout, and everyone seemed to have a blast. As the saying goes, “There are no strangers to Rudy, just friends he hasn’t met yet”. Every kind of bike, rider and car is welcome. If you need a back seat, give a call and let the word out or post a request online at FB at Rudy’s Crossroads. Your support will be appreciated as every drop in a bucket helps to fill it.

The next fun run for charity event is scheduled for May 3rd and benefits Bikers Against Child Abuse.

We really hope to see you on May 3rd to support BACA.

By Rich Malfitano

After a successful career in retail management in both Louisiana and Texas, Jim “Moe” Moyer a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and his lovely wife Ginny now enjoy their retirement in Lake Wales, Florida. Jim was always active in his community and spent countless hours volunteering to support veterans and active duty service man and women. He has a deep-rooted concern for American servicemen who were left behind from all past wars, Prisoners Of War-Missing in Action (POW-MIA). Jim has been a long time volunteer for the Keep America Beautiful program where he served as a supervisor and served on the Board of Directors for the Planning & Zoning commission for the City of Cocoa.

In 1998 Jim attended “the Ride for Freedom” in Washington D.C., an annual demonstration for the accountability of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action. Already committed to the cause, he joined the National organization, Rolling Thunder, Inc. Jim excelled to leadership levels and served as the Director for Chapter’s 1 and 6 in Florida and later served as the State Director overseeing 14 chapters within the states of Florida, Georgia and Alabama. In 2013 Jim resigned from Rolling Thunder Inc. and founded a new national Prisoner of War (POW) advocacy organization, “Honor Release Return Inc.”, in which he is presently Co-Chairman. Its mission is clear; working for the repatriation of live Americans POW’s in any form or captivity world-wide, and to educate the public on the Prisoner of War and Missing in Action issues. Jim is also the founder and chairman for The Ride Home, Inc. A national scaled annual event in observation of National POW/MIA Recognition Day, held in cooperation with the National Prisoner Of War Museum in Andersonville, Georgia. If that isn’t enough, Jim is also currently serving as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the newly chartered USO Central Florida, Inc. So much for retirement! Jims lifelong commitment volunteering for the POW-MIA cause, veterans of all wars and those presently serving our country, is second only to that of his wife Ginny and their family who has been 100% supportive . On February 2nd 2015 Rich Malfitano of Rolling Thunder Fl. Chapter 8, certifying official for the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, under the authority of the PVSAP, presented Jim “Moe” Moyer the Presidents Volunteer Service Award for his life-time service to community and nation. Thank you “Moe” for all you do for so many, and for your inspiration, reminding us that “When One American Is Not Worth The Effort To Be Found-Then We As Americans Have Lost”.

By Lulu

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Anyone who has listened to the radio in the greater Daytona area has been missing the Frank and Tracy morning radio show!!! Well, with the establishment of the new 104.7 WROD radio station…they’re back! Featuring classic rock and very motorcycle friendly… as they all ride!!! First Turn Steakhouse in Port Orange along with Rue and Ziffra law firm threw a party complete with a live remote that was packed!!!! Get your radio programmed to 104.7 and call in and let Tracy and Frank know you are listening!

By Lulu

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It seems like I have been in south Florida more lately than my own stomping grounds. One of the events I hit the road south for this month was the International Motorcycle Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Progressive Insurance sponsors this event all over the country. It gives all a chance to see the latest in models of all types of bikes and vendors, that unless you have a major rally near you, most riders may not get a chance to visit. Suzuki, Honda, Indian, Kawasaki, Peterson’s Harley-Davidson and JP Cycles were some of the major vendors this year and I always enjoy seeing the girls from Russ Brown’s Law Firm. Most of their current scheduled shows are listed on our calendar page check one of these events out.

By Billy “Kneecap” Braddock

Anyone who normally reads my article knows I love Trivia, Politics, and History. I finally found the correct Anthropological Theory:

Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunter/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter. The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. Beer required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That’s how villages were formed. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer.

These two were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups: 1. Liberals. 2. Conservatives. Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to BBQ at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement. Other men who were less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly BBQ and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement. Some of these liberal men evolved into women. Others became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy Liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that Conservatives provided. Over the years Conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass for obvious reasons.

Modern Liberals like lite beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard Liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: many Liberal women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most college professors, social workers, journalists, film makers in Hollywood, group therapists and community organizers are Liberals. Conservatives drink real beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, engineers, corporate executives, athletes, members of the military, airline pilots, and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living. Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the Liberals remained in Europe when Conservatives were coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.

Here ends today’s lesson in world history. It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to this post. A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be shared immediately to other true believers and to just piss off more liberals…And there you have it. Let your next action reveal your true self. I’m going to have another beer.

Read more on my website: nobodiesopinion.com

See you on the shiny side of tomorrow.

By Lulu

Space Coast Harley-Davidson was the host site for High Performance Promotions Classic Car and Motorcycle show thanks to sponsors Just Toys Classic Cars and Gingerbread Insurance. The lot was full of all types of vintage cars and trucks and some not so old but highly collectable! A beautiful day allowed the crowd to take their time to browse the Space Coast parking lot and shop the filled to the rim show room inside. Space Coast Harley-Davidson in Brevard County is one of our newest supporters of Thunder Roads Florida and we welcome them on board!