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Daytona 2004 Trip

What a trip!!!. Four of us flew out of Aberdeen on a very snowy and cold sat 28th Feb, heading to St. Augustine Florida via Manchester, Washington & Jacksonville airports. Word to the wise, if you fly into the US via Washington Dulles airport, leave your sense of humour on the off position as the Customs & Immigration are humourless morons who make an easy and straight-forward procedure a most unwelcoming, slow with tight security entry into the US (Terrorists beware!!). Thankfully we had a couple of hours before our connecting flight so ensure you've got the time!!!!!!!!.

Arrive late Saturday night beat but we are ready to get into the spirit.

I've got a   97' Dyna Wide Glide and Graham has a 75' Sportster 1000 Iron head (including period K & Q seat). We stayed in St Augustine which is 45mls north of Daytona. Its a beautiful town with real history as it was the 1st place the Spanish landed at in 1513. Now its one of the only places in the US with original buildings and still has a Mediterranean look. Go to St Augustine on your next break in Florida and you wont be sorry. When you're there, get to the Bar None pub and let Jay pour you a real drink, sit down and take in the atmosphere. Tell them I sent you. The locals can be scary but don't be put off. Trade Winds on the bay-front is another great hang-out. If your at the beach make sure to stop for refreshments at FA, Jacks Pit or the Beach Comber, they all do great food and cold beers. Alligators and big Crocs can be seen at the local Park and Gator tail is available in all the restaurants.

We did around 1200 mls all around St Augustine, Jacksonville, Daytona and New Smyrna. Main street Daytona was crazy as always what with the bikes, the beer joints and the babes it has all you can ask for and after 4 hrs we hadn't seen 10%. This year there were loadsa Jap superbikes all tricked out with awesome looks and sounds. No helmet law, Loud pipes every where, Customs so radical we couldn't find the fuel tank, $1.80 a gallon, 70-80 degrees every day but No filtering even at stop lights so Poor Graham got a blister from the oil bag in a very personal spot (Kilts & Motorcycles!!). Those ol' Sporties don't half get hot and can drop the odd rear pipe off at the most un-opportune moment; still we fixed it.

 We ended up at No Name bar at New Smyrna. Cool joint, has more goin on than the Bulldog bash!!!! and its out the way!!!! You cant imagine 500,000 bikes and bikers having a party. Well that's Daytona and if you can go GO!!!!!!!!!. For the rest of the week we drove, we drank, we partied with some excellent people at some crazy bars up and down A1A & US-1 (The White Eagle Lounge and Campground being one of the best) and even got to the Supercross on Friday night at the Speedway. Go Bubba Go. What a star. 125cc and he could've beat 99% of the 250's. Just check out the pictures for yourselves as to divulge any more would lead to prosecution!!! Just joking

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Toys for the Boys