Since the passing of my father this past March, my sister-in-law & her husband (both avid motorcyclists) have hounded me to meet up with them to take a ride together, but this being Florida, it's been way too hot or too wet to take them up on their offer. The weather on Saturday, however, was flawless. So I said "let's do it". They live in Jacksonville but had already arrived in Daytona when they called us. We quickly got ready and were out the door by 11:30. Our trip took about 2 1/2 hours, with the majority of the journey taking us through the Ocala National Forest on Highway 40.
This past weekend was also Homecoming for the University of Florida in my hometown of Gainesville. Traffic was a complete nightmare, and our route South took us directly by campus. Naturally we were stopped by every traffic light, drunk college student, and city bus you could imagine. Multiple instances of hard breaking met us head on before we even got out of the city. Certainly not an enjoyable experience. Once we got out of the city however, the roads cleared drastically.
Thankfully, the posted speed limits on the road to Daytona are reasonable. 65mph with drops to 45mph through the smaller towns along the way. Taking after my father, I tend to travel about 10 over the speed limit if conditions allow for it; and on this day, it certainly allowed for it. Traffic wasn't bad at all as we headed towards the coast. While in the Ocala National Forest, I caught up with group of other motorcycles and I figured there was safety in numbers, so I decided to stay with them until they peeled off. I have never made the drive myself. In fact, the last time I went to Daytona, was for Bike Week in 2003! Back then, I was the ripe old age of 13.
The trip down was a pleasant one, ran into many different bikes both coming and going. We even passed a 2009 Kawasaki Versys! I was so excited because I have never seen another Versys on the road. It was certainly a great surprise to pass one. As we drew closer to Daytona, the traffic volume dramatically increased - primarily the number of bikes on the road.
The economy in Daytona is strongly tied to the motorcycle & auto racing communities. The majority of bars, shops, hotels & restaurants are only open a few weeks out of the year to cater to the tens of thousands of bikers and spectators that come in from all around the world during these events. They are able to generate enough revenue during these that they are free to do other things during the year. Not too long ago, local politicians and city leaders tried to put an end to the Bike Week & Biketoberfest festivities because they didn't think it gave the city a clean reputation. Needless to say, that proposed legislation was met with powerful opposition from business owners and locals because without Bike Week & Biketoberfest, the only other big money maker is NASCAR. Thankfully, the locals persevered and the motorcycle festivities continue! Daytona doesn't completely throw respect out of the window, they ask for our support in return. Signs everywhere say "Welcome back, bikers!", "Ride Safe", "Ride Quietly", etc.. It's only fair that the locals asks for respect from the motorcycle community, Daytona is opening up their doors to thousands of strangers every year offering some of the greatest biker experiences East of the Mississippi River. As civilized people, and as adults, we should be courteous and respectful.
The locals are always welcoming to the motorcycle community. Of course they don't want a bunch of foolishness in their city. As long as the majority of Bike Week & Biketoberfest visitors continue to be respectful and supportive of the local community, I don't foresee drastic changes coming about. I also have to acknowledge the Daytona Police Department and their policies towards these events. As long as people aren't being completely ridiculous, they've been really easy going. There will always be those cases of fights, wreckless driving and such, but they're fairly tolerant to the daily events that occur. I also couldn't help but notice some of the motorcycle cops were riding on Suzuki V-Strom 1000s. It was quite a scene to see matte gray & black police bikes on the road. They easily blend in with the crowd.
We met up with the family at the BMW-Ducati-Triumph dealership, exchanged pleasantries & decided where we should eat.
We followed their lead and had lunch at the Oyster Pub a few blocks away off A1A. Not too many positive things to say about the Pub, as the service was somewhat inconsistent and the food was average. However, we were just so hungry that we didn't really gripe too much. It did however have a great atmosphere and the staff was pleasant, even if they were a tad spacey.
After a late lunch, we walked a few store fronts over and enjoyed some Turkish coffee at a Hookah Bar owned by a friend of my sister-in-law's husband. Great guy, great shop, & if we could've stayed longer, I definitely would have enjoyed some Hookah. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of not packing my clear helmet visor & I wasn't about to risk driving the entire trip home in the dark with a blacked out visor. We had to cut our Biketoberfest adventure short after only a few hours.
Overall, my first experience with Biketoberfest was a great one. I enjoy the ride down to Daytona, and I appreciate the concept of bikers coming together for various events. It will be a mad house, but perhaps next time I'll venture towards International Drive & the International Speedway. That would certainly bring back great memories.
Ride safe.
-James
No comments:
Post a Comment