West Florida Biker Life & Events.... by JoJo

May 1, 2003 Biker life on the West coast of Florida. Full Throttle Ahead...May the Force of the Wind Always Be with You!!

May 1, Mike & I headed south down the gulf coast from Bradenton to Venice. We hit Snook Haven Rest, a "back woodsy" type of joint that lies on the Myakka River. Sunday is biker day & the scoots were out & there. SHR is best experienced outdoors where a live band provides the music & out-houses provide the means. If you like a natural backdrop to kick up your boots & enjoy some Sunday cheer, SHR is the stop. The Rest draws a mix of people yet the rides are symbolic of the day. You'll see some country folk, real babes, some ole-timers, water rides, & some hard-tailin' patch holders; Its somewhat eclectic. But the dirt-kickin' dance floor doesn't discriminate. However, I have to tell you. SHR may have put a recent band on Biker Sunday due to a "bring what u drink" attitude as the long lines are hard to bear some say. It may be hearsay. We'll keep ya'll posted. Anyway, Mike & I caught up with a few friends of mine( Dave & Lori, Charlie & Gloria). We downed a few cold ones (coke), rubbed elbows, listened to some tunes, took in the scenery, graced the out-house then saddled up, & took to the wind in full throttle on an open road over to...............................................................................................................................................................................

The Hoosiers Bar which also hauls in the iron on Sundays. Hoosier's bar is in Osprey which lies between Venice & Sarasota. HB showcases visiting rides on US 41; You cant miss the place on Sundays. We parked the bikes & entered a hoppin' place. HB always houses a great Blues band each week. This particular week, Keith Caton And The Accelerators shook the place with some original Blues. Mike bought me their CD....Long Time Comin'. The Band is definitely high caliber. Maybe we'll offer the CD on BikerChicks4u in the future as we stand behind their music. They'd probably be capable of opening for Sheppard or Lang or maybe, just maybe someday, to the very rare likes of SRV. Anyway, we had a blast. The place was lined with leather & the band jacked up the mood. Its a great road stop for a couple of hours to cool off & get down. Aside from great weekly bands, they also hold events. We will keep you updated on such. You'll get an idea from our pictures below. Pretty cool joint. Its on a list of west coast places to stop.

The Hoosiers Bar		Snook Haven Rest
U.S. Hwy 41	Every Sunday is BIKER Day !	East End Venice Ave.
Osprey, Florida		Venice Florida (Myakka River)

Sunday, Mike & I caught up with a few riders at a road stop called Rivers Edge, a biker hide-out in Gibsonton, Florida. The Edge is a pretty neat place as it faces the bay for easy access by water & provides tikki huts to hide the rays. RE features live music in the form of blues, country, & classic rock, & offers an outside deck waterside. Its not a big crowd "maker" but there is something to say about a pit stop as such. A small biker party was going down with a few vendors so needless to say we joined in, took a few pictures, browsed the tables, enjoyed the view. We made a note to return again then geared up to catch some wind as it was hot that day. We kicked up the rides & headed south spending the rest of the day on the road then headed to Gloria & Charlie's house for dinner....I brought over an Italian treat!!! Overall, it was an uneventful road day but not all weekends are a party. Maybe next time!

Another weekend has finally come. Mike & I took to the road alone on Sunday. We headed out around noon as we stayed up the night before watching DVDs until 300am. We didn't have a plan nor a pack of riders but we found a new stop to try out for ya'll. And what a surprise! We found a place called, HammerHeads. This joint didn't have a waterfront view nor a dirt dance floor. But Hammerheads lined up the scoots in numbers! This place shows like a roadhouse. < I was hopin' to see Sam Elliot come walkin' out pullin' back his hair, smile> But sorry ladies, he wasn't in ridin' distance of the joint. Hammerheads was eventful, nevertheless. Horseshoes, a slowride, a 50/50, a flash contest, free fingerlickin' food, & other prize-winning contests hosted the day. Don't forget. Sunday's is Skirmish Day! We stayed a couple of hours & ran into a few friends by days end. All in all, Hammerheads should be high on the list of road stops on the west coast.

Our last weekend out in June (15th) was a blast in more ways than one. The day was Sunday of course as the 7th day is most symbolic to riders as the road is also a temple. The sun was shinin' high & the wind was calm. We had some chow, made a couple of calls, grabbed the camera, & hit US 41 on way north up to a biker joint called, Peggy's Corral. North of an overpass around a bend lies the corral in Palmetto, FL. Pullin' up to the corral this day was like lookin' down main street in Daytona during bike week/biketoberfest. Well, close anyway. The chrome was blindin' casting a combined ray from here to eternity. Hogs to Hondas paved the blacktop, vendors took space for free & a crowd covered the grounds like flies on....(or better said) like a field of dandelions. Lots of ladies, rough-ridin' men<smile>, some brave flashin' babes, live rockin' music & tons of metal made for some great pictures. We happened to hit a biker blowout party! Most common events took place (slow race, bike show, etc.) but the energy that surged created a great mood. Peggy's Corral is real biker friendly. By the way, Sunday's at the Corral is ritualistic for free food & $1 Bloody Mary's. Another rockin' place to hit on a road trip especially on Biker Party Sunday. (Check out the events schedule & the pictures)!

After a couple hours at Peggy's Corral, 13 of us took way farther north up to the The River's Edge for another ride around. The sun got lil' shy on us but the ride was nice & we got some road pictures on tour. The Edge was apparently a repeat of the last visit. We kicked back couple of hours with a great group of new friends & took some crowd-pleasin' pictures. I put the vendors up in lights & harassed the barmaid, Joann, till she struck a couple of poses for me. Then, I joined the gang together for some group sex. Opps, I mean for some group shots.....you'll get the idea, smile. I have to say again. I like The River's Edge . There is something mood-enhancin' about kickin' back on a water-view deck to live music on a Sunday afternoon in a laid back atmosphere. Slide me down a margarita, please!!!

HammerHeads	Peggy's Corral	The River's Edge
3606 15th Street East	4511 HWY 41 North	off US 41 North
Bradenton, Florida	Palmetto, Florida	Gibsonton, Florida

Full Throttle ahead folks, the day GETS BETTER !! We left the Edge due south. Jacked up by a natural high & the feel of brotherhood (& sisterhood of course), we hit the VFW <Veterans of Foreign Wars> in Sun City Center, Florida. What a GREAT ride! What a great group of people! These folks welcomed us with open arms & even joined in for an afternoon of hoot-shoutin', boot-kickin', bottle-cheerin', skirt-liftin' good ole mil-hearted fun!! They made us feel right at home. The commander (the good-lookin' guy with the red shirt) led us into the highlight of the day. The generated sense of brotherhood that filled the atmosphere could never be expressed only experienced. What an honor. I have to say, it was the best stop. We thank them all not only for a great time, but for the bravery, courage, & sacrifice given for our freedoms. We love you!!!

Kick'erupppp! On the road again! Feelin' real good from our last stop, we took to the road with the sound of thunder. With the wind in our hair, the sun on our face, & the roar generated by the VFW, the day couldn't get better. But wait. I do hear thunder! Sure enough folks, the sun goddess made way for the rain warriors. South on HWY 41 we stubbornly rode down a wet path ignoring any recourse back to Peggy's Corral to catch the end of Biker Party Sunday. After a couple of miles, we decided to take shelter under an overpass. A few people detoured earlier, but we all caught up under the pass shortly thereafter. And what a nice surprise! The gang brought some cold ones to warm us up & cheer the party on. And that is actually what we made of it! A rider headin' north took heed himself. But it wasn't too long that he made his way south over to us temporarily forsakin' his way up & over to Orlando (not an stone's throw away mind you). The party grew as others on the road joined us for that special wet moment in time. To me, such unforeseen experiences are most memorable! Check us out!

The rain didn't cease over the course of an hour. So needless to say........kick'er uppp we're out of this joint!! We only had a few miles to go before reachin' the Corral. One by one, we hit the wet pavement to meet the end of the day. We hit Peggy's sometime around 500pm. By then, the crowd thinned with only a dozen or so scoots on the wettop. The band was still jammin' & the diehards were still crusin' the scene. Mike took me for a stroll on the dance floor in step to the sound of some ole time back woodsy bluz. I must say, we get down well together <smile>. We flashed a few pictures & made a plan to get some chow. A friend of a friend was celebrating his birthday & extended an invite to us all. We accepted & headed east to a bbq. Some real good people. They cooked us some tender pork, bacon flavored collards, & hot baked rolls. Thanks for the hospitality guys!! Next & last stop....................................

The Happy Dolphin, in Ellenton, Florida. The Dolphin isn't a biker joint, but many rides kick the stand down for a cold one & sunset by water view. Its a small place, but the staff is biker friendly. The outdoor deck was no longer an option when we arrived due to the time & weather so we took the end of the party inside. We grouped the tables together & had a few laughs. Only a few people where hangin' but we jacked the place up to say the least. Everyone caught a glimpse of the limelight in more ways than one. By this time, we were road beat, soggy, & a lil' Hog Wild! This stop was just a bit different for us all. Ladies? Ya'll got a break ! This time, the guys opted to flash their jewels & prove to us that good sports really don't need a remote in hand. See for yourself! Overall, good stop, great people, infamous margaritas! Check it out.

The End of the road took us all on different paths that day, but the ride will always keep us together in friendship. Thanks for everything! Ya'll made for a spirited time. And remember, keep your chrome polished & your best leather in reach. Ya never know where we'll show up!! Flash for the camera! Opps I mean, smile!! Till July, Peaceout~~