March 2, 2004

"Dawn to Dusk"

After an early breakfast, lil' Lauren and her new baby sister said goodbye as she went off to school, and Cuz, Sonia and I took a cool morning ride east to Daytona. It's maybe 65 miles west of the Rally through some nice Ocala National Forest scenery. We gassed up outside of town to avoid having to do that in Daytona, and hit Main Street by 9am. Yeah, I know - the real Main Street don't get fired up that early by any means, but you know me - I'm not into that stuff...most of it people showing off, seeing and being seen, and silly shit that I can do without for the hundreth time.

Good news is, that early we find a spot for the bikes on Main Street, and wander around for a couple hours. You can see from these early morning pics that a lot of other people have the same idea...but you are always aware of the fact that these are a different people than will be on these same streets tonight.

We do the obligatory main destinations, The Bank, Froggy's for a Bloddy Mary, Boot Hill for a T-Shirt, same shit, differnt year, ya know. Cuz Sam and Sonia have never been to Daytona before (otherwise I wouldn't have come down to Main Street ya realize) so it was fun to see it for the first time through them. We walked down to the beach at the end of Main Street - something I hadn't done since my first Daytona back in the 70's when I used to live in Fort Lauderdale and came up for the girls. I DID ride my bike up and down the beach in the early 90's but damned sure wouldn't do that again - was finding fine silty sand in my bike for a year afterwards.

Thats Cuz and Sonia in # 07 inside Froggy's. Right around there was where I lost my bike keys - had me a bit worried til I found my spare set hidden in the bike - put them there 3 years ago and damned near forgot about 'em.

 
Pic #13 is an interesting story - met this barmaid inside the bar right on the corner of A1A and Main street - that NASCAR oriented place - you know it - who was from Cleveland, Ohio...down for her first gig in Daytona. We got to talkin' and found out she knew the JiMiller Band pretty well - my old friend from grade school days - you can read about the Cleveland ride in my archives from 2002. I had her stand with me for this pic to send to Jim back in Cleveland and tell him his band is known all over the country!

#14 is interesting all in itself, too, isn't it??? - and although I know I say on my home page that ya don't really find much T&A on this site (not for any moral objection mind ya - just my kids read this shit) but it'd be hard not to include this shot - only for making the point to you ladies out there that I think the one on the right is a much more attractive shot - well...better ass to be sure - but the "leaving a little to the imagination" concept is my point here.

After Main Street - we rode up the beach road through town to another favorite spot of mine - I seem to hit it each year - right on the Ocean in Ormond Beach called Stella's. Sonia managed to snag this sneaky shot as I was having lunch.

#16 - 18 are shots while riding on the Ormond Loop - one of the nicest rides in the area...short to be sure - so we rode it twice. Stopping at the Fireside Bar halfway through, deciding to go it again, and making several rest stops along the way - way nice road!

#19 - 21 are after a 45 minute ride from way up north of Daytona, to Samsulla, south of Daytona. What first trip to Daytona would be complete without a ride to the Cabbage Patch? Granted, it was still late afternoon and the full flavor of the Patch wouldn't be realized til after dark, but we agreed before this ride not to hang too late, in favor of another night on the back porch back at the Ranch.

 
On the way home, coming through DeLand, Florida, I had to pop a U-Turn after coming across this little bar / swap meet. Forget the name of it, something like the 1911 Pub or something like that. Had some live music, swap tents and cold beer. It did make us get back to the Ranch after dark, but whaddahell.

 
Yeah, I'm not much of a mega-bar drinker late into the night. I prefer the little out of the way corner bar with damned few people in it. Have my one beer - sometimes two if we're staying long enough, then on to find the mext one. Never long enough to get toasted on the bike, mind ya. I find it more fun to keep up a good two-beer buzz and pace myself for the day. Don't gimme any shit either - at 6'5" 280 lbs - two beers barely make my bladder take a notice. After this lil place - we head back, grab a late snack, and veg-out on the porch. Thats all I need out of Daytona - a nice day ride, a T-Shirt and a few pins for the kids. I'm happy.

For Information, contact:
Muthuh@Muthuh.com  

MUTHUH'S RIDES HOME | ARCHIVES | FUTURE TRIPS

ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT MUTHUH'S RIDES UNLESS SPECIFIED OTHERWISE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PLEASE RESPECT COPYRIGHT LAWS AND DO NOT COPY OR USE THESE PICTURES FOR ANY REASON UNLESS WITH WRITTEN PERMISSION. IN ADDITION TO LEGAL PRECEEDINGS, I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN, BURN YOUR BIKE, SCARE YOUR CHILDREN, POST NAKED PICTURES OF YOU AND YOUR OLD LADY AND OTHERWISE MAKE YOUR LIFE A MISERABLE HELL.
OTHER THAN THAT - HEY! ... HAVE A NICE DAY.