Starke Bike Fest 2008
The Starke Bike Fest started three years ago, driven primarily by one man, JJ, who owned a motorcycle shop in Starke, FL. This year the Chamber of Commerce took over the event and seems to have done a pretty good job with it. They added a couple of events - a Rat's Hole Bike Show for one - and have put their marketing and networking muscle behind the event.
The Bike Fest is held in Starke, Florida which is a small, country town located about thirty miles northeast of Gainesville on Hwy 301. It's perhaps best known as the location of Raiford State Prison and "Ol' Sparky" (Florida's electric chair which is no longer operational since we now execute with lethal injection). There's lotsa great ridin' around the area and the Bradford County Fairgrounds is a great location for the event. We've heard rumors that the folks runnin' the event are lookin' for a new location and possibly a new date. It's hot in Florida in June -- that's why we live here! -- and some think this is holdin' down attendance. We dunno, but we like the event when it is. Maybe a couple of large tents with misters is the answer for the heat instead of lookin' for a new date. The beginning of June seems fine with us since there's not a whole lot happenin' in other parts of Florida at that time. Whatever they do, we hope they keep the small town ambience, pricing and friendliness.
This year two of writers made it to the Bike Fest: Grump and Johnny P. Their stories are below.
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