By Amy Poole The Beaver Bar is a hop, skip and a cruise to many of the festivities during Bike Week. This was their first Bike Week open and I don’t think they were disappointed! Loads of bikers and peeps just out to see the sights lined up to get in the Beaver to chow on some great food by Grover and the boys, see some hotties from South Carolina and quench their thirst on $2 beers…that’s right $2 beers ALL year long!! Their band line up was phenomenal and if you haven’t heard Rebel Son…you missed a few rockin’ nights!! Or you could do something simple like chill in the rockin’ chairs, but just so you know… you can’t take them home with you! Thank you Leslie, Jeremey, and the whole crew for a GREAT rally and looking forward to many more!! Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu [autoviewer id="241" width="600" height="600" ] This was our best TWISTED TEA Hot Thunder Bikini Contest ever! Not only was the weather fabulous, the Twisted Tea icy cold, the girls smokin’ hot, Big Engine was rocking the new White Eagle stage complete with a ramp for us to bring bikes on stage, the crowd was and they were incredibly generous. This year our judges included celebrity Don Wood from the reality TV show Moonshiners, artist Tom Ackley and his wife and entrepreneur Vicki-jo Lucky from Eternity Spa, pro bass fisherman sponsored by Twisted Tea Gary Coleman, Geri from GT Motorcycles in Pineda, photographer Miserable George and Twisted Tea drinker Choppers! They had an incredibly difficult task of narrowing the field down to decide who went away with $300, $500 or the grand prize of $1200! Our winner Jessica Renee is from Miami and has won our contest in the past. I think it must be those incredible “assets! During the event, artist Tom Ackley presented Don Wood with a wood burning likeness of him, and Don was just stoked to receive it. We brought in Sterling and Josh dressed in pink briefs to dance for the crowd to raise money for the Tracy Dillon Mammogram Fun, and incredibly, the generous crowd gave $632!! Gotta love those bikers! We want to thank the bike owners, Don, Irv, Ricardo, John, Tim and another John for the use of their bikes for the girls to pose on for the crowd. I particularly want to thank Don, Micah, Ricardo, A.J., Tim, Howie and Kim for going the extra mile to get the stage done just in the nick of time. We need to thank the White Eagle for hosting our event, Twisted Tea for being awesome sponsors each year, the participants in the game, particularly the deep throats who swallowed the whole thing! Finally I want to mention La Mesa RV on I-4 in Sanford who allow the girls to change into those tiny bikinis in the comfort of a beautiful air conditioned RV. You guys are the best! If you are looking for an RV of any sort visit our friends at La Mesa. And if you haven’t tried a Twisted Tea come to one of our Bike Nights and the Twisted Tea girls will hook you up! Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu

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Each February Micah and I load up and travel to Leesburg for one of my favorite events. Known by the biker community for their great rally in the spring, they do Mardi Gras with equal success. We ride over for the day, although the street party doesn’t get into full swing until around 7pm when the parade begins. I love the stilt walkers and the folks that dress up in the garish boas and face paint. Being from Pensacola I love Mardi Gras and have even been part of the “Crewe of the Silver Slipper” back in the day. This is a nice ride from just about anywhere in the state and although the debauchery isn’t nearly as risqué as New Orleans…it is still a fun street party!

By Lulu We all love our heroes…firemen, policemen, military men and women. They spend their employment years protecting our families, homes, freedom and lives, often at great peril and sacrifice. Then there are extraordinary heroes! White knights that just can’t lay down the armor! And that is exactly what a bunch of old veterans in Volusia County, Florida are…EXTRAORDINARY! I have known and ridden with some of these guys and they are not spring chickens. The baby of the team is in his mid 60s and the eldest 70+! They aren’t spending their golden years on a boat, golf course or couch. Nope, they are spending their leisure time moving couches, beds, lamps, washers, dryers, coffee tables, coffee pots, dishes, TVs. Anything to make a house suddenly a home. Who are they doing this for? Homeless vets! Since November they have moved 57 vets into a place they can call “my home”. Some became homeless from medical issues, some drugs or alcohol, some just from loss of employment, but at some point all of them either ended up living in a car, the woods, the Salvation Army or the Haven. Once they get “clean” from their struggle that led them to homelessness, where do they go? That is where a newly form team called the Veteran’s Assistance Coalition steps in. The team with a mission statement of “to assist and support veterans of all wars, providing charity, education, relief and camaraderie while improving quality of life and well being consists of members from Rolling Thunder Inc. Florida Chapter 8, Disabled American Veterans, Marine Corp. League Detachment 658 and the Viet Nam Veterans of America Chapter 1048. Fast forward to moving day 8a.m.! 5-7 grizzly ol’ Viet Nam Vets show up in Ormond Beach at a storage facility to methodically fill the wish list of some guy or gal they don’t know. The excited new apartment dweller will go from owning only what fits in a duffle bag or shopping cart (we have all seen the homeless wandering the highway with their belongings they can carry) to owning all the essentials for daily living. I traveled with them on two of their moving days. The new tenants meet us just beaming, some with pets they obviously adore. None complain that the couch may be a bit worn or the bed a bit old. They all sit on “their” recliner and smile! They all hug and thank these ol’ heroes for helping them get started in a new course of life. They are not all old vets that are being helped. They are not all men. Some are from the current missions our country has faced. All have fallen on hard times and seem to have experienced things in their military career that make normal living difficult. Many are in school now. One of the vets they helped was a young mother of two small girls that was living in her car until the car was repossessed right before Christmas. They moved her and the children under a roof just in time for Santa to find them. The wives of these kind hearted men played Mrs. Clause and provided Christmas. I doubt there was a present under the tree that was as nice as a mattress under their little bodies. Another vet they moved in was injured in the Oklahoma City Bombing while on duty, but since it wasn’t a war he doesn’t qualify for things other vets would have been entitled too. On the second moving day, “Generation Arthritis” (my pet name for them) moved 3 people in! What kind of people does this on their leisure time? Joking the whole time about things like “having to do this to get away from their wives”; you realize when you see the tears in their eyes that they know it could have easily been one of them that was unable to cope with daily living. They don’t judge these guys they are moving in, not one bit! They simply try, in everything they do, to make a difference, one life at a time. Often during the move in previous vets that have been helped show up to lend a helping hand. Please call if you have household items they are in need of it all…pots/pans, mattresses, quilts. They also could really use a decent warehouse in the Holly Hill area if anyone has a building that isn’t being used. The wives of Generation X lovingly store the sheets, blankets, cups, dishes and silverware so that they can just grab what they need for move-in day. Their phone number is 386-290-8407 (Jim Kreinest) or their website is veteransassistancecoalition.org. Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu

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The folks at Bar None couldn’t have picked a better way to kick off Bike Week. The day was crisp and clear. The parking lot totally packed. The Eager Beaver was rocking the deck, and the food which is always fabulous was plentiful.

Chris was showing off a sparkling diamond on her finger that I hadn’t seen yet and I have to say I am not sure which was sparkling more the diamond or the smile on her face! I know they appreciate all the regulars who make this a MUST DO each year and if you haven’t stopped in Bar None in St. Augustine you really MUST!

By Billy "Kneecap" Braddock I've said it before and I'll say it again. April starts off with Fools Day but Washington, D.C. thinks that every day is Fools Day. We've been hearing a lot about the Sequester. The politicians claim that cutting the budget by 2% would be devastating. First of all, this is not a cut. It is a reduction in the growth of spending. That would be like saying that I usually drink 100 beers, but I had intended to increase that to 107 beers. However, because of finances, I will only be able to increase my beers to 105. Now, that is devastating. The government is dealing with a $1.5 trillion deficit this year, and 17 trillion in debt, and they can't reduce future spending by 2%? Every working person in this country has had a tax increase since the first of the year. I haven't heard of anybody jumping from tall buildings. After talking to a lot of bikers this Bike Week, they said that they were cutting back and not spending as much because they did not have it. Why can't the government follow the example of its citizens? They canceled the White House tours, but still pay for haircuts, shaves, and shoe shines for Congressman. The tours cost less than $74,000 a week, but we spent $10 million for Pakistani Sesame Street, $700,000 to bring television to Vietnamese villages that don't even have electricity and $120 million in retirement and disability benefits to federal employees who have died. Plus, we give $250 million (money we have to borrow) to Egypt that burns our flag and chants death to America. We have spent millions paying researchers to play video games, to study the effects of cocaine on Japanese quail, to study the behavior of male prostitutes in Vietnam, to find out why gay men in Argentina have risky sex when drunk, and of course to train Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly. The waste in government spending is mind-boggling. We borrow billions a day to pay for these and the most stupid things imaginable. If I was to list all the wasted billions I would need to write a book, not a column. Even though the Congress has only a 9% approval rating, we still vote them back into office. I guess we are FOOLS. While the country is going bankrupt, what is the Congress discussing? The hoax of global warming, the indiscriminate use of armed drones, and of course, gun control. Gun control laws adversely affect only law-abiding citizens. It is not about controlling guns but controlling the populace. 64 million legal firearm owners didn't kill anybody yesterday. Washington DC has one of the strictest gun control laws in the country. To quote Mayor Marion Barry “Outside of the killings, Washington, has one of the lowest crime rates in the country” Duh!!! Computers are considered to be artificial intelligence, and in my hands it becomes artificial ignorance. I just signed up for Twitter, so now I can tweet until I'm a twit. If you're looking for a new friend, find a homeless man. They are the best. They never ask you to help them move. See you on the shiny side of tomorrow... Read the rest of this entry »

By Alexis Wood The 3rd annual BIKE & BOIL was held February 23rd at the Baymeadows Adamec Harley-Davidson in Jacksonville to benefit Angelwood. With lots of new riders and great weather BIKE & BOIL was a success once again! The ride was led again this year by Sheriff John Rutherford through the city, crossing 5 bridges. The party was emceed by Richard Nunn of WJXT. Wayne Automatic Fire Sprinklers was the title sponsor. The Orange Park HOG club helped out again this year by doing registration, and Florida Blue volunteers came out in force. As always, the event signature Low Country Boil served by Bill Wilson was delicious and to celebrate Angelwood’s 20 year anniversary guests also enjoyed a special cake for dessert! The ride continues to build momentum each year with over 182 bikes and 500 people (riders and non-riders alike) in attendance. Guests also supported Angelwood by shopping at the Angelwood arts-based adult Day Training tent, raffle, and Silent Auction. Mr. Natural kept the crowd rocking all through the day. A special performance was also given by the River City All Stars Special Needs cheerleading team that included some of Angelwood’s residents. Proceeds of BIKE & BOIL help Angelwood’s programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. For more information on Angelwood, please visit www.angelwoodjax.org. A very special thanks to the Adamec Family for hosting this event and to Thunder Roads Florida for getting the word out! Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu Deland Bike Fest had a picture perfect day for their Bike Fest. The quaint college town closes their streets to bikes only and they put out the red carpet for bikers. Lots of really cool restaurants and shops make this a favorite place to ride to for those who are visiting during Daytona Bike Week. Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu Generally when I write a Bull’s Eye I have the opportunity to sit down and chat with the man. I had hoped to interview David Allan Coe during Bike Week, but time simply got away from me. But last night David Allan Coe was involved in a car accident in Ocala, Florida (March 18th) and I decided to do a bit of investigating on this icon of motorcycle music. Luckily his injuries are not life threatening and he will be back on stage soon. Man this is one interesting human being. Born in Akron, Ohio in 1939 he has lived a “roller coaster ride” lifestyle. As diverse as his music is…so are the places he has resided. He has called a penitentiary home, spending nearly 20 of his early years locked up. He has lived in a hearse outside of the Ryman Auditorium by the Grand Ol’ Opry. After the IRS seized his Key West home, he lived in a cave in Tennessee. I guess this unique set of life segments made for interesting song writing. In 1968 he released his first album Penitentiary Blues referred to as “voodoo blues and redneck music”. His “throaty baritone” voice is easily recognizable which sets him apart from many. He has toured with Grand Funk Railroad, Neil Young, Willie Nelson and Kid Rock. He has been in movies including “Stagecoach” and “The Last Days Of Frank And Jesse James”. He wrote “Would You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)” for Tanya Tucker in 1973 it was a #1 hit. Johnny Paycheck recorded Coe’s “Take This Job and Shove It”. Kid Rock recorded “Single Father” that David Allan Coe wrote. His songs such as “Mona Lisa Smiles” and “The Ride” are songs that brought him a resurgence in the mainstream music scene in the 80s. He has written 63 songs that were on Billboard’s single chart. A music career that has spanned 45 years is rare. A man that can survive prison, the IRS and accidents…and still have a sparkle in his eye and a joy for living even rarer. An ultimate entertainer, David was often known to ride his Harley on stage which thrilled the crowd. He still packs them in at the Iron Horse whenever he is on stage. I am just pleased to know that the accident spared his life, and that Biketoberfest at the Iron Horse Saloon I will get the chance to listen to another set of the father of “Outlaw Biker Music” and hopefully sit with him for a real interview! God speed Mr. Coe! Read the rest of this entry »

By Deborah Speicher On February 2, 2013 Rolling Thunder Inc. Florida Chapter 11 held their Annual Benefit Ride and Rally. Once again, it had four starting places from the north, south, east and west – Brandon Harley-Davidson, Peggy’s Corral, Cycle Alley and Jim’s Harley-Davidson. All of the rides ended up at Quaker Steak & Lube for the Rally. The event benefitted Paws for Patriots (Southeastern Guide Dogs) which provides much needed guide dogs for our blind and wounded veterans. The VA provides no funding for guide dogs and this program relies on donations to continue its good work. By 11:30am the ride-in groups had all arrived and the party was in full swing at The Lube, which was hosted by none other than Parti Patti herself. There was music courtesy of Bitter Sweet, a classic car and truck show, vendors, raffles, club challenge, and much more. Hundreds of supporters showed up on two and four wheels for this event, and the club challenge was won for the second year in a row by the Old Town HOG Chapter with 59 participants. A big thank you to Rolling Thunder, Inc. Chapter 11 and all that came out that day for continuing to help our military. Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu Generosity is defined in the dictionary as willing to give or share unselfishly. And boy I was I blown away by a generous crowd and two young men at Twisted Tea’s Hot Thunder Bikini Contest during Bike Week at the White Eagle. Last Biketoberfest, I offered to give the Tracy Dillon Breast Cancer Fund $150 if I could get some men from the crowd to come on stage, take their shirts off and dance in a pink bra and pink boa. Please note this is a biker bar at a major bike event. In seconds, guys jumped on stage, prances around and I had to cough up the $150 which I happily donated. Fast forward to Bike Week 2013, I had to come up with something to one up that and a friend of ours Jeff had two starving Wyotech students staying at his house. They are two young bucks, that although a bit reluctantly, agreed to come out on stage recreating the whole Tom Cruise bit from Risky Business in PINK “whitey tightys” and a pink men’s dress shirt. I offered to auction them off and treat the lucky girl to a night on the town with the young men. As my girlfriend Kim and I were dying the briefs to a nice pink, I had my doubts that they would show up. But they did, and when I called them on stage I was stunned. Before I even had a chance to introduce them, ladies started shoving money in their shorts and the whole auction thing was thrown to the wayside. It took on a life of its own and became a male strip show minus the pole! I think Sterling may go to work on stage and give up on fixing bikes and boats for a living! Even more amazing is Sterling’s father was in the audience and he is an ol’ school biker! I have to love bikers because even the men were handing money to their ladies or me…I didn’t catch any putting money in the boy’s shorts, thank God. When we came out with what we thought was our generous final total Artie walked up and handed me $100 out of his pocket, a food vendor out back gave me $50 and $20s were coming from everywhere. Our grand total was $632!!!! What I didn’t know about the two boys, Josh and Sterling, was their reason for doing it. Josh had an aunt that died from breast cancer and Sterling lost his mom to cancer as a child. Josh asked me to please say if I wrote about this they did it in the memory of their loved ones. Not just everyone would be brave enough to dance around in their undies, much less pink ones, for the good of people they don’t know. Not just everyone cares enough to make a difference. But their guts, butts and glory…and the generous spirits that donated their Bike Week spending money, will help women that can’t afford a mammogram get that essential screening before a potential disease becomes a death sentence. Thank you Josh, Sterling and those that gave you made me a very happy girl! Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu There is always something going on at Stormy Hill Harley-Davidson in Clermont and often the event is to benefit some worthy cause in the community. In February alone they hosted a Garage and Bake Sale as part of H.O.G. for Hospice and they put on a “Red Hot Benefit” for Southlake Hospital Foundation. With the help of their sponsor Humana Care Plus, Victory Cruise Line and the wonderful guys and girls who rode in much needed funds were added to the Foundation. Live music by 357 Band, silent auction items, free food, 50/50 and vendors made the day. A lot of work goes into events like this and the people at Stormy-Hill deserve a revving of the engines for their efforts! Read the rest of this entry »

By Miserable George

It was ‘way back in 2005 that Barry "Bear" Conaway came up with an idea to help out unfortunate bikers...it worked! The organization became known as B.I.N....or, Bikers In Need. This year, on Feb. 17, they celebrated their second anniversary with a police escorted run from Space Coast HD, north on I.95, to Wickham Park pavilion...250 plus, strong!! Awaiting the chilly riders, were vendors, three popular local live bands, ace DJ, Doc Holiday, door prizes, a 50/50, and more!! Sad to say, it’s been nearly a year that Bear passed on, but, we just knew he was watching...and smiling...at the success of his idea...his brain child...something he devoted his very life to, and now, is being managed by his wife, Ellen, (Mama Bear). Yeah, it was a chilly crowd, as I said...morning temps were in the 30's, but that didn’t stop those determined riders from coming out to support Bear’s dream! You can help too; call Mama Bear at 321-298-6046, or bikersinneed.org. A big THANK YOU to all who helped make this run and the organization a success. Mama Bear and I say...Ride safe!!! Read the rest of this entry »

By Lulu [autoviewer id="235" width="600" height="600" ] We are just like the snowbirds that migrate south for the winter. Each January we look forward to leaving our nest and heading down to Dania Beach for their milder temps and one of the best antique bike shows in the state. This is put on in Frost Park by the Sunshine Chapter A. M. C. A. and hundreds of bikes participate. Clare Frost is one of the organizers and her uncle donated the property this event takes place on to the city, hence the name…Frost Park. The event is free to the public while the bike entry fee benefits the Stray Aid & Rescue. Vendors, live music, bike games, an antique bicycle show, roller derby girls and a swap meet complete the event. We met lots of interesting people and even saw Jillian, a pin striper from St. Augustine, doing a bike with the crowd watching. For the second year in a row we had a special treat of Billy Joel sitting in with the band and the crowd loved it. For those who don’t know it, Billy Joel has a motorcycle museum named 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay, New York with over 80 bikes! When I first spotted him this year he was doing some serious shopping in the Swap Meet area. If you love nostalgic bikes or are looking for hard to find bike or bike piece ride down to Dania Beach next year for a really enjoyable afternoon. Read the rest of this entry »

By Deborah Speicher

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The unusually warm winter weather this year brought out the crowds for the annual Gibtown Bike Week hosted by The Showmen’s Club of Gibsonton. There was unique entertainment that you would not normally see at other motorcycle events. That is because The Showmen’s Club membership is comprised of people who work in the outdoor amusement industry (carnivals, etc.).

The grounds were packed with vendors, live music, food and a beer garden. Ride in for the day or stay for the night as FREE camping was also available. There was a bike show on Saturday, and hot rod and custom car show on Sunday.

Sunday I got to enjoy the music of Nashville recording artist Randy McNeeley. There was also wrestling – both men’s tag team and girls. I also watched Galaxy Girl perform death defying stunts such as hand stands on her 110’ sway pole; all without a net!

There was nonstop entertainment with several other bands plus Johnny Rockets Cyber Cycle which altogether made this free event a destination for those living in the Tampa Bay area and beyond!