Daytona Bike Week 2009

When gas prices started to dip in early November, I told Cathy if they drop below $2.00 per gallon I would book a return visit to Daytona Bike Week. We saw a decline in prices with a low of $1.61, but soon started to once again climb. As the weeks got closer to our departure, gas had been standing firm in the mid $1.90's. Chuck and I left Saturday, February 28 by 9:30 AM. His brother let us use his Chevy Silverado extended cab and along with Chuck's 16 foot enclosed trailer we were all set. It was 12 degrees as we started our journey. We didn't encounter any bad weather and were able to average just over 70 mph the entire trip and taking into account our gas stops, we had an overall average of over 67 mph! We never stopped for more than 10 minutes! Had we not stopped for about a 90 minute power nap just outside of Orlando, we would have arrived at Disney's Old Key West at 7:30 AM Sunday morning. I thought this would be a tad too early to fire up the motorcycles as many would still be sleeping from their magical adventures the night before. I know Dan and CDogg are wondering if I made Chuck drive the Smokey Mountains; yes he did on the way down, but I returned the favor later in the week on the journey north.

Shorty after arriving, the bikes were unloaded and we headed to Daytona. The temperatures the first half of the week averaged 15 degrees below seasonal averages! Once in Daytona a stop at the Race Track proved to be a great idea! As we made our way to the first vendor it started to rain hard! The rain stayed with us until early afternoon. As it cleared we headed to the far east end of the race track and took in the many different vendors including, Victory and Indian Motorcycles, Vance & Hines and even Nicole's Sign Works from Appleton! We left the race track late afternoon and drove downtown to stop at the Harley-Davidson Welcome Center to pickup our ever popular Event Pins. This year Harley did not host a reception area where in previous years members and their guests could relax, socialize and have free snacks.

Later in the week we made a stop at Bruce Rossmeyer's Destination Daytona in Ormond off off Highway 95. I have tried for the past several years to get an up close and personal view of the largest HD Dealership in the nation but have been unsuccessful. Chuck with his Victory Vegas Jackpot Cory Ness Edition leading the way into the parking lot, we were able to find a few spots to park. The dealership itself had probably more than 1000 new Harley's for sale. In fact we found a 2009 Road King Classic, blue in color with 7 miles on it for $15.995! The economy has taken the bite out of every business and Daytona Bike Week was no exception. Attendance they said was down 40% from last year! Unheard of prices on new motorcycles and souvenirs were at a low not seen before.

Because of the chilly weather, G-nome didn't make many appearances with the Bar Maids! Even they, we dressed in sweatshirts and leather jackets! Bummer! When the temps got closer to seasonal averages G-nome made more appearances. You see, during Bike Week celebrations a gimmick is worth many a photo!

Wednesday we headed to Cape Coral to spend the night with my sister and brother-in-law. After we had ridden most of the way and were just 30 minutes from their gated community home, we were finally able to rid ourselves of the leather chaps and jackets. Thursday morning we left their house and rode to Victory Lane Motorcycle Dealership. I forgot to mention that earlier in the week Chuck had broken his clutch cable outside of Sanford, Florida on the way back from Daytona. After spending over $300 his bike was as good as new, but the pocket book much lighter as this was an unforeseen expense. The Victory dealer in Sanford was nothing like Victory Lane south of Fort Myers. Victory Lane was exclusively a Victory dealer and didn't cater to other makes of motorcycles. If you love Victory bikes and find yourself in Florida, then this is a must stop.

After leaving Victory Lane we headed west to Fort Myers Beach and rode the shoreline onto McGregor Boulevard and the many palm trees that line the road. Late afternoon we got back to Disney and had dinner at ESPN Sports Bar on the Boardwalk close to Epcot.

Friday morning we found ourselves on the road by 7:00 AM heading towards Daytona and a favorite of mine, the Starlite Diner for breakfast. Before leaving Disney we heard on the news that a semi carrying diesel fuel had tipped over on I-4 between Highway 44 and I-95 so we should expect delays! This isn't unusual, I-4 is a MUST avoid highway at anytime! We drove towards downtown Orlando on I-4 then exited onto 17-92 and headed towards Highway 50 and Titusville, then I-95 into Daytona. After parking on Main Street down by Boot Hill Saloon we walked to the Diner. Breakfast was good, not great but still a stop that is worth the wait. We walked around Main Street and made a few purchases before heading for lunch at the Hilton for Victory's 10th Anniversary Party. Over 500 guests got treated to a great lunch of chicken, roast beef, salads, vegetables and a variety of cheese cakes. Chuck got his photo taken with Arlen Ness .

When we got back to Disney for our last night, the bikes were loaded in the trailer. We had added over 1100 miles this week on our rides and only experienced a few problems on each of our bikes. I am still having problems with my gas gauge not working! This has been a headache from day one and hopefully will be corrected soon. I had added Vance & Hines slip-ons along with a Stage I kit onto the Ultra prior to Bike Week. I felt the added horse power and torque but also saw gas mileage had dropped noticeably. I learned that my speedometer is off between 3-5 mph, so this along with my fuel gauge may have something to do with it. For our last dinner in Orland, we headed to Hooters. We had a great time of riding this week. If you ever head to Daytona Bike Week, bring your "A" Game! When riding, keep your head and eyes up! Don't drive beyond your abilities and never consume alcohol and then ride! Keep focused on your ride and enjoy! To view the selected photos of Daytona Bike Week 2009 go to Shutterfly and remember to type in the password "chrome".

By-the-way, Chuck sent me an e-mail and after averaging 10.9 mpg on his brother's extended cab Chevy Silverado, pulling a 16 foot enclosed trailer, the roundtrip fuel costs including almost $20 in tolls in the State of Florida, was just over $503! It is much cheaper to haul the bikes than to ship, dah...................................!

A Crisp Glass of Wine

As I awoke Saturday morning, Cathy said it had snowed overnight! As I looked outside what I saw was such an amount of that white stuff not seen since before Christmas. The month of February until now had only given us a tad over 2 inches. The month usually brings over 8 and last year over 28 inches!

I had plans to visit Capital City Harley-Davidson and then onto Sauk City Harley-Davidson for their annual Mardis Gras celebration. Would the 7+ inches of snow halt the journey? Hell no! If you don't know me by now, I will drive from Watertown to Sister Bay in Door County just for lunch! Ask CDogg, he'll tell you. After the driveway was plowed out, the wheels of the AWD Mountaineer started turning and headed to Madison.

After the two stops (Capital City and Sauk City Harley-Davidson) "C" and I decided to treat our lovely wives (who didn't make the trip because they heard on the news, if you don't need to travel today, stay home) to some fruit of the nectar, or Wisconsin grown wine. Yeap, that's right just east of Sauk City is a Winery that has been producing award winning wines for 37 years. Wollersheim Winery is a must stop should you find yourself near the Wisconsin River searching for the king of the skies, the Bald Eagle.

As we entered the grounds of the winery, we saw many vehicles that also made the drive on a snowy day. We made our way up the brick covered walkway to what was once the main entrance. "C" told me that last year the winery finished their huge addition. As you walk around towards the back of the long standing building, you will find the new addition opened in 2008. The new blends in with the old to create an architectural delight. Once inside we made way to the tasting table. "C" had been telling me about the Port Wine in that it is extremely smooth and has just a hint of Brandy in it. After taste testing the Dry Riesling, Prairie Fume, Prairie Blush, Blushing Rose and Eagle White it was time to let the taste buds savor the Port 2007. This sweet red port wine made from Foch grapes and fortified with brandy to 20% alcohol for a smooth sipping wine, then aged in American oak for 13 months was excellent! It is truly a sipping wine, after dinner. At $20 per bottle, drink it slow, enjoy ever sip.

After the samples and wonderful company of our wine hostess, we decided to purchase a few bottles for our honey's back home. Later in the evening Cathy and I enjoyed a bottle of Eagle White 2008. This is an estate-grown white in a semi-dry style.

If you like wine, an old building and grounds that reminisce of Italy's wine country, Wollersheim Winery is a must on your "bucket list".

Matt Krueger Benefit Ping Pong Tourney

Friday evening the Watertown High School reminded me of when the world moved a little slower. Families were seen spending time together and friends were able to hangout without the use of game controllers and other electronic entertainment. What started as an idea to raise money for Matt Krueger and his continued battle over cancer ended in a social event not soon forgotten! New friendships as well as rekindled ones were many. A ping pong tournament (see link) was held to offset costs associated with Matt's cancer treatments.

Advertisements hit the high school a week before Christmas break, probably not the best time, however it was a start. A week after break, the hallways were filled with smack talk on who the winner of the tourney would be. I think in some small way, I may have fueled the fire on the talk (lol). You seemade that up, even peasants can spike or place a wicked spin that is next to impossible to return on this little ball. It's a game that doesn't require fancy equipment, a table, paddle, ball and just about anything that resembles a net will do. Students started pre-registering before the break and donations started to trickle in before the first ball was served. My goal was to raise $200.

The Event finally came and players arrived early. With the help of our volunteers, we were able to start a few minutes early. Raffle prizes included two IPod Shuffles (J&L Tire), two Balls of Fury Movie Baskets (Wal-Mart) and two prizes consisting of 12 cases of Arizona Ice Tea (River City Distributing). Concessions included popcorn, home baked desserts, cookies, candy, hot dogs, soda and water. Triana's Trophies donated six nicely engraved trophies for both 1st & 2nd place finishes. The School District provided the venue and custodial staff as well as two of the four ping pong tables. The other tables were donated by the Jacobson and Henriksen families. Members of the Tourin' Hawgs Motorcycle Club, Fire & Iron and Rhonda Nachtigall's marketing class worked at the registration, concession and raffle ticket areas. Our son Andrew and his girlfriend took care of the DJ duties, music and bracket boards. I would really love to list each person and family that donated money or time, but there were so many and not wanting to forget anyone I won't.

Remember when I said my original goal was to raise $200? After cleaning up, returning one of the two borrowed tables and sitting down for a drink or two, the donations were tabulated. The total prior to adding the receipts was a tad over $1000! This is truly amazing in such economic unrest. Watertown, you have once again come together to support a cause. The money raised will be turned over to the Krueger Family.

I hope to continue this ping pong phenomenon as a high school club activity during the remainder of the winter months. Stay tuned for more information! Thanks again to everyone that helped and donated! It is the volunteers that define the success of such an event. Click on Matt Krueger to see and read his blog and follow his path as he continues to be strong. He is overcoming the odds with the help of God, his family and so many friends (old & news)!