Biketoberfest 2007: Scarce Main Street Parking. Red Tide?

Gotta make this fast; Time to hit the road again.

Daytona is 78 miles from the ultra-secure, maximum-security ABM compound, but we weren't gonna go yesterday, (Thursday), because the weather people were screaming that it'd rain all day. Now I don't mind getting wet, but I DO mind washing the bike all over again. By 10:30, couldn't stand it anymore & split for Biketoberfest. You don't expect to see the hoardes of bikers at this one compared to the spring rally, about 1 in 7, nevertheless, it took me two passes down Main Street before a parking spot opened up. Used to be a nice place down an alley where a hundred bikes could park. The cops took it over for their fundraising activities, & now it's five bucks. Some of the businesses along Main have taken to "renting" out their frontage, so you'll see a half-dozen brand new bikes with "for sale" stickers. Add this to all of the used bikes w/for sale stickers, & you have a serious parking problem. Dudes, there's got to be a better way to move your tired iron. Give us back our parking spots, please?

We're staying overnight Fri/Sat at an oceanside two-star. Price was right--$96 a night for an oceanside 7th floor balcony. Then, we found out about....

"RED TIDE!"

This nasty micro organism is a frequent visitor to Florida's west coast..aka..Tampa. Because of a month of constant rain, it's invaded the coast of North Florida, & is slowly making it's way toward Daytona. Aside from killing a few fish, it's pretty harmless, & usually goes away after a week or two. So long as the breeze is blowing away from land & out to sea, it's not a problem. Some people cough & sneeze a bit. Guess that's how we got the ninety dollar room? We'll keep the windows shut.

Dude, $5.00 for a can of beer? Main Street, the famous bars. Man, sixty bucks for a 12-pack? That's nearly in the realm of S&M! There are little joints here & there where you can get a coldie without extending the limit on your visa card, but they sure aren't anywhere near main.

Twice each year, Willie's Tropical Tattoo, on US1 hosts a ride in old skool chopper show, complete with $2 brew, rockin' bands, & beautiful girls. This year was no exception. The bikes were among the best we've ever seen, the beer was cold, the girls hot. What's wrong with this picture? For some reason, there were two patrol cars parked right in the median in front of the show. They pulled no one over while we were at the show, but the sight of them parked right in front of the chop show certainly put a damper on the good times. They wouldn't be there unless someone in the city put them there, & we think their time could have been better spent somewhere else.

Some major storm activity in the Florida Panhandle last evening may keep some western bikers away from Biketoberfest, but on the way back up the superslab yesterday afternoon, we waved to hundreds of American Bikers, headed south to Daytona. We'll have a shower or two today & tonight, then, sunny, beautifu, low 80's for Saturday & Sunday. ABM expects a blowout weekend crowd. Look for us on the street, taping interviews for furture American Biker Minutes, then listen for 'em in your town. What? No ABM where you live? Call your favorite radio station, & ask 'em what's the problem!

Now, where are my riding gloves? ABM's headed south! Check back next week.