BIKETOBERFEST 2003
Oct.12-19
Our annual trek south to Daytona's Fall Classic began at LV Cycles at 6am, Sunday morning Oct. 12th. The weather finally came through, my first trip to Biketoberfest with out rain, and pretty mild temps to boot. Our day was a 700 mile plus trip, taking us to Manchester TN., just 20 miles from the Jack Daniels Distillery. The tour began at 9 am Monday, and we were in the first tour group. Whether you are into Jack Daniels whiskey or not, this was a very interesting stop. It's the American dream come true, a real down home success story. We were taken through every step of the process of making, distilling, and bottling of Old Number 7. Ever wonder where the 7 came from on a bottle of Jack, well go take the tour.
The tour took longer then expected and with a stop in the Jack commemorative store, more on that later, we were behind schedule. Next stop was New Orleans, a favorite stop on our way to Daytona. We hit the big easy around 6:30 pm and check into our hotel, the Monteleone. A five star Orleans tradition, just one block off Bourbon Street. Way out of our class, and that's why we love the place.
The problem is when we go to check in we are told that the hotel has overbooked, and they do not have the rooms we reserved. So we throw a classic fit and demand to speak to the manager, etc. etc. Long story short, three of us wind up in a top floor suite, I think it's where President Clinton used to stay, and for a very cool $99. We shower and hit Bourbon, first stop is some down home Cajun crawfish. Unlike last year this place didn't have linen table clothes and candle light, just real Cajun cooking.
Some crawfish pie, a few beers and we hit the bars and voodoo shops of Bourbon Street before retiring to our "suite" where we continue drinks, jumping on beds, and calling room service for ice. Tuesday morning comes way too fast and we pack up and head for Mobile Bay and Battleship Park to visit the USS Alabama, a South Dakota Class battleship with three sixteen inch gun turrets. Six guns forward and two aft. One battery capable of sending over 20,000 pounds of steel some five miles ashore on the enemy. Rusty and I climb into one of the compact turrets, each turret reaches five decks below and is manned by 140 men. What it was like in these tight quarters when those guns went into action you can only imagine.
For you movie buffs this is the ship used in the Steven Segal movie "Siege" I'm blown away by just standing on the navigation deck in the very spot where officers stood with binoculars watching Japanese strong holds on Saipan being pounded by the "big boys"during WWII. The park also has a first rate aviation museum with planes and weapons ranging from WWII to the present including a SR71 Black Bird spy plane and a dry docked WWII submarine. It would easily take a day or two to see everything there was to see. However we didn't have that kind of time. Maybe next time, or even a trip just to the park for a weekend. Again we take far more time then we allotted for the park and are behind schedule again. We need to make Ocala tonight if we are to get to Key West at a decent hour on Wednesday, so we hit I-10 hard heading for the panhandle of Florida. You may think of Florida as an easy ride coast to coast, but not from the panhandle, we hit Florida in no time, but ride til way after dark to reach I-75 and the Ocala area. Not much to do here except some dinner, a few beers and bed.
We are up early and on the road to the Everglades and The Florida Keys, it's about 500 miles, but the road through the Keys is congested and 40 to 45 MPH all the way. There is a cop at least every two miles to make sure it stays 40 to 45. We make Key West around 4pm, check into the Days Inn and call a cab to take us to Duvall Street, one of the most partying streets in the world. We have dinner in a outdoor Mexican restaurant and then hit all our favorite bars, Hog's Breath, Capt. Tony's, Sloppy Joe's, well you get the idea. We get trashed, hit the sack and rise early for the 400 or so miles to Daytona Beach for a couple of days of "rest and relaxation"
Our group has split up a few times during the trip, Dick Meyer has done a side trip to Birmingham, Chuck Tyner, who will be moving to the Florence SC area has left us to find living quarters, and Mike and Sandy Leonard will be meeting us in Daytona after riding straight through on Thursday, so we are looking forward to joining up with everyone at the motel in Ormond Beach just 8 miles from Main Street. We hit Daytona by 2pm and check in and take a well deserved rest.
Daytona Beach, well what can I say, our R&R consists of riding, checking out the vendors, bars, and other Daytona bike week action. Oh, and trashing Don and Rusty's motel room with a little going home party. We drank everything we could get our hands on, including Chuck's Jack Daniels Commemorative bottle of special brew he bought at the distillery. Thanks Chuck, it might have gone bad on you if you would have kept it too long. The party was probably a bad idea when you have to get up at 5am and ride 1,000 miles home the next day.
Well that's it, a week long road trip, 4050 miles, and I can't wait for next year. If you are interested in road trips, or even small day trips and want to keep up on what's happening when, consider joining our riding club which starts every year on Jan. 1st. For information check this web site or contact me.
Thanks to everyone, I would ride anywhere anytime with any of you. Let's do it again soon.