Where are the weekend replacement Fl Bikers?

For some, biggest BTF ever:

One vendor said it was his best fall rally ever.

Remember we were amazed at the number of NY, PA, etc plates? Having to be back at work this morning, as they cleared, a lot of NC, KY, AL, Ga, etc plates took their place. By Sunday afternoon, you could tell things were winding down. For some odd reason, the usual Sat-Sun rush of Florida bikers didn't materialize, like, for instance, last year. Destination Daytona was almost empty yesterday afternoon.

All week, vendors selling tee shirts, long sleeves, and hoodies were shall we say, "reluctant" to lower asking prices, likely figuring that the last day or two would bring in some fresh meat. They were wrong, and this spring, they'll have a ton of tees to try and push off on us as "vintage" shirts. Don't feel sorry for them. It hasn't rained at all this month in central/north Florida. The weather was perfect for the rally, they just got a little greedy at the end. $3, anyone? Do I hear 2$?

Heartbroken from South Carolina: The poor dude, (and poor us), who dropped in to the "Bantam" fish fry (see previous blog) for a monster example of carbs stuffed with piscatorial delight. The place was.. closed, something we don't remember happening on Sunday. Maybe they ran out of fish? On the way up there, we were nearly run over on the 95 by an 18-wheeler carrying a load of..you guessed, it.. seafood. Man he sure was in a hurry to get to Daytona.

ABM is working on a week of shows dedicated to America's veterans. Soon as we sort out all of the audio, we'll attempt to bring you some pic's of BTF.

Check out this week's ABM's to find out more about how the federal government is offering police departments a nice little $350,000 grant, each, if they promise to use the fund "exclusively" to target.. yep, you guessed it, US. Today, tomorrow, and Wednesday, on your local American Biker Minute affiliate, or online at twitter.com/abmrocks or facebook.com.americanbikerminute.

Not as big as Spring, but just as much fun!

Biketoberfest, baby!

(momentary lapse of communication--VFW internet perpetually down, and I kid you not, squirrels ate thru the library's fiber optic line!)

(excuses, excuses..this will bring you up to date.)

Thursday:

Tropical Tattoo: The TT ride in bike show had, in this reporter's humble opinion, more cool iron than last springs blowout. We're thinking that dudes (and dudettes) have, on average, more spare time to tinker with barn finds in their garages, so more old bikes are being chopped, or restored. Some of the Japanese tired iron (back when they came with metal fenders and such), looked like they'd be a bast to ride around town, and you'd have to go back in time to find more shovels. The old HD shovel heads were wall to wall. Pretty cool. We took lots of pics. Look for some at www.americanbikerminute.com after we get back to the studio and sort it all out.

US1/Iron Horse Saloon: Bike parking nearly full, bikers relaxing on the many decks in the bright Florida afternoon sun, great atmosphere, terrific people, but gees, $4.50 for a Corona?

Main Street: Few parking places available at 10am, and the party doesn't "officially" start for 24 hours? If you want a pkg place, get there early. 10am is not out of the question, but 11am is.

Millers/Limpnickie Lot/Last Resort: A few bikers, but the big crowd for this area of town is Sat-Sun. We;ll hit it today for sure.

Friday:

Destination Daytona: Our thanks to the cops and owners for allowing the chop in so S&S could give me a couple tips on adjusting my roller rockers. Much appreciated. Good crowd, not quite as many vendors. Didn't find the HD truck on Beach Street, expected maybe it was at DD, no truck this year? Speaking of Beach Street, we hear that the original Daytona Harley Davidson store has been sold. On this morning's ride, noticed that Bruce Rossmeyer's name was still on the sign, but locals tell me the rumor is true. It changed hands. No where near the usual crowd in their back lot, but the new owner(s) is probably still sorting everything out. Speaking of DD, the I-95 signs seem to have been changed to read.."World's Largest Destination". I have no idea why. You tell me.

Speedway: Plenty of vendor action, not quite as many opp's for "test" riding new bikes, and lots and lots of bikers walking, gawking.

The "Lyndhurst" Boarding Home: $1 draft Bud, $1 hot dogs, always a hit with the frugal biker. Front porch was packed with hungry, thirsty road dogs. Eclectic, happy to be there crowd. Many new friends. The sign on this joint reads something like "$15/a night, visitors, $5, and a time limit. Hmmm...? We're paying $10 to rent a patch of sand, but I'm not complanin'. Look for the big white building with long front porch filled with sipping bikers, right across the street from the back lot of the old Harley store on Beach Street, Daytona Bch.

Saturday:

Just gettin' going. We've seen more NY license plates than about any other state, except FL. We're thinkin' the NY weather must be stinkin' to drive so many south to BTF. Today and Sunday is when the locals come out to play, and with this weather, we expect the crowd to finish strong.

Cabbage Patch: World famous Cole Slaw Wrestling wit de ladies! It's been a good year for both females and cabbage, and we expect a blowout battle this afternoon. Contestants from all walks of life...bank tellers, and school teachers included.

Nation's Oldest City, Oldest Fort=Cool Cruise

50 mi north of Daytona...

Castillo de San Marco?

Don't taze me on the spelling job, man, but this is one cool place to visit. Cannon, dungeon, and three foot thick walls, overlooking historic St. Augustine's harbor. A national monument, the old Spanish fort is open daily. Also here, tourist-trap stuff like the wax museum, Ripley's and the alligator farm. (want to see "an alligator"?--go to any area pond, or deep puddle of standing water, and keep all digits inside your pants pocket, it's been dry and they get hungry.) St. Augustine has plenty to keep you busy all day, but when you've had your fill...

Fish Sandwich, anyone?

ABM used to use the service of a wrench whose shop was in Bunnell, Florida, a little town up about 10 mi north of Destination Daytona on US1. While he was working, we'd head to near the town's southern stoplight, (there are only 2), for a little hole in the wall called "The Bantam". If you've ever craved a po' boy stuffed with deep fried oysters, or, say a fish sandwich so big, many couples split one to share, this is your spot to stop and sit at the picnic table for a spell with the locals. Thirsty? Florida's oldest biker bar, the "White Eagle", is a half dozen miles down the road in Korona, yes, Korona, on the big curve. It's a bike week all it's own, with vendors, bands, and camping bikers. For some reason, they always seem to run out of Coronas during bike weeks. I never quite got that.

Last hot Daytona day, high near 90. Tonight, 50's, then around 80. No rain last two weeks, and none expected for another week. Leave the rain suit packed, you won't need it here. As the locals come out to play, this F-S-S is expected to be a blowout, with bikes e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e.

Million Dollar Sunrise...For the price of a gallon of gas.

Get up and smell the coffee!

Sunrise: 7:25am. This is where you want to be. A1A, the little two lane which hugs Florida's First Coast, settled 400 years ago when Spain colonized St. Augustine, our nation's oldest city, but more on that tomorrow. You need to be up and at 'em, and on the road no later than 6:30am. Head out of Daytona on A1A. Little or no traffic this early. Point your front donut north. Pass thru little towns like Flagler Beach, Beverly Beach, Crescent Beach, all before you reach St. Auggie. At some point, you'll simply have to stop and click a pic of the sun breaking over the horizon. Something about the sun rising over the ocean that is simply awe inspiring. We've been seeing this for 30 years, and it never gets old. When you've had your fill, keep heading north, and when you get to St. Augustine, you'll find plenty of opp's for two over easy and a cup of joe.

Got a few more miles in ya?

Good. You won't be sorry. Stay on A1A out of St Augustine, hard right at the "Merry Go Round", and over the Porpoise Point skyway, then hard left, still on A1A north. After about 10 miles of beach front property, it's all park almost all the way to Ponte Vedra Beach, (lower Jacksonville Beach). Guana State Park has areas where you can put the kickstand down, but do not park on the roadside. St John's county boys love to write them 50 dollar pkg tickets. Use the rest areas clearly marked on the west side of A1A. On a weekday morning, you and the honey may be the only two people on the beach for a mile in either direction. Coquina sand, crystal clear blue surf, and for bikers with good eyes, fossilized shark's teeth. They look a little bit like a "T", with a pointed bottom.

When you've had enough, don't forget your history lesson, and a a fish sandwich that'll make burger king's "whopper" look (and taste) like cardboard on a bun! (tomorrow's post).

HAVE FUN! :}

Oct 12 Direction Correction: Blue Springs!

Our directions to Blue Springs, in the Ocala Nat'l Forest should have directed you to pass over Rt 17, then take a right on Rt 19. (we said Rt 17 twice). We get all excited just thinking about all of the bass, bluegills, and mullet swimming in and around that big blue hole. Worth your while! If your camera will survive being immersed in h2o, you'll have a pic worthy of framing!

Hurricane "Paula" No Threat to Florida's BTF:

Caribbean Storm:

Hurricane Paula, a cat 2 storm expected to skirt Cuba's southern coast, bringing showers and unsettled weather to south Florida. Daytona will remain dry, with an approaching cold front lowering current 85 degree temps to a more comfortable 75 to 80.

Happy Campers?

You bet! If you're paying more than ten bucks a night per biker to pitch a little pup tent, you're getting hosed. Prices have fallen quite a bit since '07, and now campgrounds are happy to have as little as 10 or 15 bucks a night, per person, quite reasonable if a hot shower is thrown in to seal the deal. Rent your personal patch of sand for a few days, or a whole week for mouse bucks, speaking of which, don't expect the same ten dollar deal in Orlando. Look for campgrounds which require a 10 or so mile putt to and from Daytona. They will have the best deals, and most amenities. ABM recommends avoiding campgrounds (and motels) near the speedway. The one that sounds like BOA is way too expensive, and the one across the street upped the price they gave us over the phone by 20 bucks a night. Spring was the last time they saw my smilin' face.

Next: The most beautiful sunrise you've ever seen.. just up the road..

Biketoberfest Beautiful Weather Loop-1-

Ready for some fresh water? A gazillion gallons a day?

Blue Springs, Ocala National Park:

Locals call it.. "The Grotto".

Swim wear is in order, along with a cheap mask, so you can peer into the "grotto", a big blue hole with millions of gallons of 68 degree water spewing into a shallow stream which feeds Lake George, Florida.

Get there early! The park often fills to capacity on weekends, and special event periods, plus the water feels a lot warmer in the morning than in the afternoon. Grab a place near the spring if you happen to arrive early. Munchies? About 10 miles north of the park, in Salt Springs, there's a grocery store, and diner.

Jeff, we're sold! How do we get there??

From Daytona, Head north on I-95, one exit to west on Rt 40. After 20 mi of country riding, you'll cross over Rt 17. Keep on going thru the little town of Astor, the beginning of the Ocala National Forest. You're in the sticks now. Maybe you shoulda gassed up in Astor? Another 8 miles or so, and you're at the intersection of Rt 40 and Rt 17. Hook a right, and head north. After a dozen or so miles of green way, begin looking for a right into "Blue Springs State Park". Pay the man (or woman), and jump right in! On the way back, check out "Wildcat Lake", on the right after you get back on Rt 40, just before Astor. Beautiful lake. Boat launch, swimming area, and small dock. One fourth of July we were the only boat on the water.