Nostalgia at the Redfish Inn 2004 Flashback by Miserable George
This place has had many names down through the years,
and back in 2004, it was the Redfish Inn, and, a very popular watering hole on U.S.#1 in Cocoa, Fl, near the flea market. It seems that there was always something interesting going on…from spaghetti wrestling, to a mini-concert by Big Mike Griffin, and TV’s “good ol’ boy”…Mickey Jones.
The weather was as variable as the entertainment…beautiful for awhile, then, a whopper blowing in off the Space Center!! But, one thing you could always count on, was a banner crowd, to partake of the entertainment, the pretty girls, and the good food!!
The place still boasts all these things today, but, with a different name…”The Oyster Bar”…on U.S.#1, just north of Cocoa, Fl. Tell ‘em Old School Biker” sent ya…OK?
Miserable George
Vintage 70’s Moto-Guzzi Club Rally by Miserable George
When I lived up north, I belonged to Keystone Motorcycle Club, in Emmaus, Pa., and from 1972-1980 we held a Moto-Guzzi Owner’s Rally on our grounds. It started out a bit slow, but as the years passed, it grew to a pretty good size…
riders came in from all over the country…it got BIG.
But, as usually happens, copy-cat rallies sprang up all over the USA, and eventually, we gave it up…too many rallies…not enough riders, as it were. Anyway, it was fun, while it lasted. We had a full kitchen, went on local tours, had biker games, lots of room for camping, live entertainment…all the makings of a fun week-end.
We even rigged up an outside shower, with a gravity fed hot water tank, and our own make-shift water heater…BUT, it worked…! I’m hoping someone who was there back then, will stumble across this article, and maybe realize some happy memories. I know, WE had a blast sponsoring the event…! ValGal was just a kid back then, but even SHE was in on it…! We’re hoping to get some feedback on this one…Hey, ride safe…
Miserable George
OSB Hot Rod of the Month – Mike’s 1955 Ford F-100 by ValGal
Mike’s 1955 Ford F-100
SPOOKS ‘N SCOOTS….a look back…by Miserable George
Spooks & Scoots was started back in 1980, as a tribute to Hillsborough Co. ABATE President, Jim Hill, who was lost in a motorcycle accident. Originally known as “a tribute to Brothers lost, the name was changed to “a tribute to Brothers and Sisters lost” after the death of ABATE sister, Elaine Shearin, in 1991. Being held in October, the party always had a Halloween theme.Records being kept…in 2003, an Eternal Flame Memorial Tent was established, containing boards listing all Bros and Sisters lost in motorcycle accidents…sadly the list grew as the years passed.
I attended this event since 1994, missing only one…2001…the year I lost my wife. It grew in many ways: a helicopter came in in 2009 , providing rides over the grounds, and in 2012, a beautiful new pavilion was erected. Coffin beer coolers were the norm, as was the opening ceremony, where a “dead” biker is carried in a coffin inside the ABATE hearse, to lay in state inside the memorial tent…many tears visible during THAT ceremony. This was always followed by a give-away session, a tattoo show, and of course, the Beauty Contest on Saturday evening. Sunday morning, was the Memorial Ride.
Why did this event cease to happen…??? My guess is, too many other near-by events on the same dates…too bad…I’m hoping that this event can be resurrected …somehow…!! Thanks to Patti Nasrallah and crew for holding things together for all those years. No SPOOKS in 2016…very sad…
Miserable George