Over 100 bikes were entered and the crowds were a massive as ever making history once again with the response, party atmosphere, and over all ambiance. The Internationally famous judge of bikes, Roadside Marty, was brought in at great expense to handle the picking of the winning bikes. Marty had just returned from judging duties in Cottonwood at the Smoke Out where he was chief judge of the wet t-shirt contest. Marty takes his job very seriously and might be available for other events. By the way he ain’t a half-bad bike builder himself. His home-built Shovel hardtail is a neat ride.

And I ought to say something about the tattoo artists who all ride bikes to work every day and are among the most prolific artists in the state of Florida. Many of their clients return to Daytona year after year to have these artists create on their bodies. Except for Willie, most of the bikes are artist built or modified by them. They may not be pretty but they’re practical and run well. Remember, chrome don’t get ya home, but sure looks good along side the road.

The Boardwalk show on Friday was light on entries and spectators despite having the best location, but we got some shots of a couple of great bikes.

The Saturday Rat’s Hole Show held again at the water park north of the convention center was the only show that charged an admission, a habit started when the city of Daytona in all their stupid wisdom threw Karl Smith aka Big Daddy Rat off the Boardwalk years ago. Some respect to the guy who invented motorcycle shows and put the Daytona Beach show on the map promoting his show with the world wide distribution of a self- serving newspaper called The Ratty Rag. Since Karl’s death, his son Ted has taken over the show and has been actively expanding the venue.

The crowds on Main Street were light and the vendors we spoke with were way down in volume due to the state of the economy and the prices charged by the purveyors of alcoholic beverages.  Over on Beach Street there was a remarkably heavy turnout around the old Harley shop and surrounding vendors. I have no idea whether they were buyers or lookers, but I did notice the lack of bags indicating purchases.

Much of the action was not anywhere near Daytona but miles away over roads north of the Ormond Beach city line next to the Love’s truck stop. Many vendors were set up there displaying and selling things from T-shirts to motorcycles and everything in between. The traffic was usually backed up in the area making for overheated motors and frayed tempers. This area was a day-use type of deal and evening events didn’t work well. It could have been the fear of putting so far away from hotels on the beachside.

Just south of the I-95/US 1 intersection is the start off the Ormond Mile aka the new Main Street, starting with the new Corbin store, The Broken Spoke, vendors, bars, more vendors, pay parking lots, sheriffs, and ending at the Iron Horse Saloon. The Iron Horse, owned by Billy Stevens back then, was the first on the strip having to relocate off of Main Street years ago. He bought a tiny beer joint and developed every inch of his property. His bar was so admired that a bar in Sturgis was built coping Billy’s design.