Orange County Choppers at Racefest

Orange County Choppers was one of the many company's that brought some cool stuff to look at to our Ford Racefest at Seminole Hard Rock Casino on Thursday, November 13, 2008. Some of the guys from OCC were there to sign autographs. I didn't get a chance to meet any of them, but I did spend some time looking at their bikes. Pretty cool!

Osteen Diner - another great place for breakfast

Back on Labor Day, myself, Andrew Steadman, Eddie Mazzaredo, and Rob Lewis from my church made the short trip around Lake Monroe up to Osteen, FL for breakfast. This is another great place to go for the inexpensive, "greasy" breakfast!

Barber Vintage Motorcycle Festival - Birmingham, AL

This years "guys trip" took myself, and riding buddies Chris Galardi and Bob Lowe to Birmingham, AL for the Annual Barber Motorsports Park - Vintage Motorcycle Weekend. This is a fantastic event. There is AHRMA Sanctioned vintage racing all weekend, and many interesting types of bikes ride in for the event. The show kicked off with an airshow performed by the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team. While visiting the festival, we toured the Barber Motorsports Museum - one of the world's largest motorcycle collections - just fantastic!

I highly recommend this event. It's a great time of the year to ride in the area - it's the beginning of fall in that part of the South so it's still warm but the humidity that we deal with down South is out of the air - very pleasant.

Take a look at some of the photo's and video's on my photobucket site to see some really cool machines.

http://photobucket.com/BarberVintageMotorcycleFest

Ghostrider

Well, all I can say is - this guy is nuts, totally irresponsible, he makes us casual riders look like angels - he's a true lunatic. But, damn, this guy can ride - and ain't it some fantastic video footage? http://www.ghostridermovie.net/

Vance & Hines Exhaust

When I purchased my Vulcan 800 Classic, it was basically stock, including the mufflers. Metric Cruisers with stock exhaust sound worse than Harley's with the original pipes. They are very smooth and quite - but, who wants that? So, I went nuts one weekend last summer and knocked the baffles out. Stupid idea - now they were just loud and annoying.
Vance & Hines Cruzers
Vance & Hines makes some of the best exhaust for Cruisers. In fact, they are the only manufacturer who makes systems specifically designed for smaller displacement bikes. The intent is to make your 800 sound like a 1200 or larger bike - while providing optimal performance. These systems are not cheap by any means, but sound great, look great, and perform well.
A few months ago I installed a set of Cruzers on my Vulcan and re-jetted the carb. It sounds great and runs better than it has since I bought it. Check out this video I took with my new "Flip" Digital Video Recorder.

A Ride up to SkyDive Deland

On Sunday, August 3rd, Andrew and I rode up to SkyDive Deland to meet up with his Ducati Club friends and watch the AMA Superbike Race. Skydive Deland is an interesting place. It's one of the largest SkyDive centers in the U.S. and home to some well accomplished Sky Divers. Attached to their Sky Dive School, they have a bar/restaurant. No clue how the food is, but the beer is served cold, and there are several large TV's to watch sports on. They have a great landing viewing area patio just off the back of the bar.

NO - WE DID NOT GO THERE TO JUMP! Just a couple of beers and some good conversation. As a pilot, I have always had the attitude "there is no reason to jump out of a perfectly good airplane". In other words, I am chicken. Nuff said. http://www.skydivedeland.com/

The Greasy Spoons, unique cafe's, and coffee shops of Central Florida

I like Motorcycles. I like Riding. I love food. One of my favorite things to do on the motorycle is to ride to an out of the way, "local flavor" restaurant, and have a down home cooked meal with my buddies.

In the past couple of years, I have found - with the help of friends - some great restaurants with that old world Florida charm. I would like to detail some of these restaurants, and provide information on their location so I can share the carbs, calories, and yes - occasionally grease with other bikers and friends.

So, let's go back in time, to about 2 years ago, and my first encounter with one, a unique Central Florida food destination - Yalaha Bakery.

YALAHA BAKERY - YALAHA, FL

Lake County, FL is located west/northwest of Orlando, FL. It's home to some beautiful Orange Groves, Lakes, and of course - some nice "twisty" roads perfect for us 2 wheelers. In the heart of this beautiful area, just south of the Leesburgh area and the south shores of Lake Harris, is a little stop in the road town called Yalaha. In this little burb is an old German Bakery called Yalaha Bakery. It's sort of an old house converted. When you walk in, one side is the bakery and coffee shop, and the other is the restaurant.

Whatever your pleasure is - coffee, tea, sweets, or a sandwich, they have it all. To top it off, they have a beautiful patio in the back with an undeveloped landscape behind. For more information, visit http://www.yalahabakery.com/index.html

The Yearling - Hawthorne, FL

Like food of a different sort? Something a little more on the "wild" side, or shall I say "gamey" side? travel the back roads of Central Florida, through the Ocala National Forest, up to the Yearling Restaurant in Hawthorne, FL. There, you will find just about anything you can think of. Menu items include Alligator, flounder, venison, burgers, etc. While enjoying your fried gator and fries, you can enjoy the music of legendary blues artis Willie Green, who is always hangin around pickin a tune. After dinner, walk around and take in some of the antiques and artifacts that decorate this real time piece of a place. For more information, go to http://www.floridasecrets.com/Restaurants/ENW/Yearling.htm

Damn Diner - Ocklawaha, FL (Moss Bluff Region)

Did you ever have fun getting lost trying to find some joint? Myself, Andrew, and Chris did a couple months ago. We set out for a breakfast run to find this out of the way place that Chris had heard of. I had no idea where we were going, so I brought up the rear. By the way - I didn't care that I had no clue - that's part of the fun sometimes! Anyway, after we finally figured out we were lost (temporarily disoriented), we stopped to check google maps on our blackberry's - found it - only slightly off course.

The Ducks Damn Diner - love the name. I guess it's by a river or lake Damn - no clue really. All I can really say is it' was one of those greasy, lard laiden, gravy soaked biscuit breakfasts that a good ole boy like me from rural Indiana dreams of. I think my bill was a whopping $4.65. Another great place to "find". The Moss Bluff Region is up in Marion County around the West / Southwest corner of Ocala National Forest. It's a pretty rural area - some nice smooth blacktop roads to cruise on. There is no website for the restaurant, but you can find Ocklawaha on google maps or you can view this article about the restaurant that was written some time ago http://www.ocala.com/article/20080623/NEWS/900957615

Soup to Nuts Diner - Tavares,FL

Sometimes, you just want some fresh air and a nice hearty breakfast. Last Saturday, Andrew, Chris, Antony, and myself rode up to Tavares, FL for a good old fashion breakfast at the Soup To Nuts Diner. Decorated in that "happy days" 1950's decor, Soup to Nuts is a real neat place. The biscuits - well, they are the size of bricks! http://www.mytravelguide.com/restaurants/profile-34783705-United_States_Florida_Tavares_Soup_To_Nuts_Diner.html

Willow Tree - Sanford, FL

When we have an hour or two to blow, that's just enough time to ride around Lake Monroe, and stop off at the Willow Tree in historic downtown Sanford, FL for a cold brew. If you are hungry, you will love the German food. http://www.willowtreecafe.com/