Bike Week traditions keep riders returning

Off the Wire News - Rally & Event News The lure of Bike Week for many isn't necessarily what's new but what's tried and true.

"After 20 years of going there, it still looks the same, but you still have to do it," said Dan Derringer, who runs the Motorcycle Riders Association and Web site monstermotorcycle.com. "You go back and see it every year, and you have a laugh because you've been seeing the same old codgers at the same old places."

So here's a sample of the favorite haunts and traditions that keep the bikers coming back.

Main Street, Daytona Beach. It's where Bike Week was born, where motorcycle racers left the beach and partied at the Boot Hill Saloon. Now the street is lined with bars, loud with bands and rumbling engines and packed with beer, food and souvenir tents. Regulars include the Ice Cream Man from Hell and beer-tub girls.

Destination Daytona, Ormond Beach. The newest Bike Week venue is certainly the largest — a massive complex off Interstate 95 that features the world's largest Harley-Davidson dealership, hotels, condos, food and drink and the Coca-Cola Pavilion. The late Bruce Rossmeyer, Harley dealer extraordinaire, thought if he built it, they would come. And they do.

Cruising. East Volusia offers some scenic routes, from cattle ranches on back roads to the "Loop" in Ormond Beach, down oak-lined Old Dixie Highway. Some bikers cruise down to the sand for a photo by the ocean.

The Iron Horse Saloon. When Main Street got crowded, the Iron Horse was the first to head north to U.S. Highway 1 near Airport Road in Ormond Beach. Highlights there include Wall of Death daredevil motorcycle stunt show. Other saloons sprouted, creating another hot spot.

Coleslaw wrestling. Internationally famous, the coleslaw wrestling tournament at Sopotnick's Cabbage Patch remains a top draw, bringing thousands of bikers to the remote tavern (and former cabbage farm) in Samsula on State Road 415. The recipe cooked up 20 years ago was simple — toss a couple of bikini-clad biker chicks in a pit of chopped cabbage and oil and let them tussle. Wrestling returns Wednesday and next Saturday.

New Smyrna Beach. In southeast Volusia, on State Road 44, is Gilly's Pub 44, another long-running Bike Week anchor, and the New Smyrna Beach Harley-Davidson dealership. Gilly Aguiar bought the former fruit stand and started his biker attraction with his 1981 bash.

The Last Resort. This small biker bar on U.S. 1 in Port Orange, well south of Main Street, made its claim to fame as the last haunt for infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos, and ultimately, where she was arrested. The draw used to be the "burning of the metrics," a fiery ritual against a Japanese motorcycle, until the event was deemed too dangerous. Now the big ticket is creamed-corn wrestling.

Veterans tributes. The military-motorcycle connection is long and storied. The Traveling Wall, a full-sized replica of the Vietnam War memorial, rolls into Daytona Beach on March 3, proceeding east on International Speedway Boulevard to State Road A1A, where the Wall will be set up at the Plaza Resort & Spa for public viewing on March 4 and 5, culminating with a veterans tribute concert March 6.

Blessing of the Bikes. Decades ago, the pastor of what is now the Basilica of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Daytona Beach blessed bikers on the event's last day for a safe journey home. The Catholic church still hosts a blessing on the last Saturday and Sunday, and other churches have adopted the custom.

The Daytona 200. Motorcycle racing started it all with the inaugural running of the Daytona 200 in 1937 on the beach. The racing event took a hiatus during World War II and later moved to Daytona International Speedway. The week's events will include dirt-track racing and the Daytona 200 on March 5, with camping and sideline events in the infield of the hallowed track.

Ludmilla Lelis can be reached at llelis@orlandosentinel.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 386-253-0964.

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