SLEEPY HALLOW BAR and GRILL

Off we go again to Sleepy Hollow, the (respectable) biker hangout, for a cheap steak dinner.  Along with our original companions, Brock and Leola, our group included Dick and Paul and Sharon.  Paul and Sharon made a trip 'home' for Christmas and came back with their bike so they could join the Sumpter Oaks Biker Gang for wild times.

 

 

 

 

As always, there are a wide variety of bikes.  Here are two bikes with auxiliary wheels to convert them to trikes.  These wheels are removable.  They are used for a variety of reasons, sometines to help an aging biker to keep his favorite bike, sometimes for extra stability to haul a small trailer.

 

 

 

The gang:  Duane, Paul, Brock, Leola, Sharon, Dick

 

Contrast--fully decked out on the left, bad boy "ape hanger" handle bars on the right

 

 

This band is Paydirt.  I liked the other one--Evil Monkey--better

 



 

Our $6 dinner  the steak was very thin but weighs 8oz and is very yummy

 

This guy could use those extra wheels for his mini rv

 

 

 

A Can Am Spyder with two wheels in front, one in back

 

 

 

After our dinner we took the scenic way home along the Withlahoochie River,

 

 

and ended up at Lickety Splits for dessert.  The following are serious ice cream eaters:  Brock and Leola,



 

 

Sharon and Paul,

 

 

and Dick.

 

 

 

With our last empty holes filled in, we were finally full of good food, great company and a very satisfying ride.

 

Come with us next time to the great Tampa RV Show!

 

Louise and Duane

Battle

We admit--we have been bad about blogging.  We have lots of pix, but never got around to posting them.  We were both ill with a bad cold during the holidays, Duane during Christmas and me the following week.  He missed Christmas Eve when we ate Hobo Stew (everybody brought a can of something) and chicken soup.  We ate then played a gift exchange game. The New Year's Eve party was a luau.  Duane went for the eats then spent the evening in the tv room watching football.  I saw a video later of one of the older guys taking a fall where his head bounced off the concrete.  Ouch!  Turns out he neglected his blood pressure meds and passed out.  He's ok, just a few stitches and a few days observation.  The thing about the cold was that we didn't have much energy or appetite.  Chicken soup and rest and we were good as new.  For holiday pix we offer the beautiful Christmas Eve sunset below.

 

 

 

On Jan 13th we rode the bike to the Dade Battlefield Historic State Park for the annual reenactment of the first battle of the Second Seminole War.  This war lasted seven years, claimed thousands of lives, cost millions of dollars and forced the removal of the vast majority of Seminoles and Black Seminoles to Oklahoma, opening Florida to white settlement. 

 

Introduction by park ranger.  The battlefield is behind her.

 

 

An explanation of the dress and accoutraments of the Seminole male

 

 

 

and a soldier

 

 

 

The battle was narrated by a Seminole

 

 

and an American survivor.  Sorry, caught him behind a tree.

 

 

 

Enter the soldiers, the Seminoles arrived earlier via horseback and are hiding in the trees and brush.

 



 

 

The cannon

 

 

 

Taking a stand,  and yes the woods are full of Indians

 

 

 

The battle begins

 

 

 

continues  see the Indian?

 

 

soldiers behind a "fort"--not much help

 

The soldier narrator is wounded under a dead soldier.  The Indians didn't kill the survivors.  They just wanted the soldiers to know they knew their business and should be left alone.

 

 

Their victory achieved, the Seminole go about their business collecting all the guns, believing the whites will leave them in peace. This was just the beginning of the Indians troubles.

 

Next time, a trip to a biker bar,

 

 

Louise and Duane

Ride with JC and Bev

Although we aren't doing much before Christmas, we do manage to fit in a ride or two.  Sunday (9th) we met some new biker friends, JC and Bev, introduced to us by Brock and Leola.  JC and Bev were staying at Wildwood, about 30 miles from here and were looking for someone to ride with.  Brock and Leola were preparing for a trip, but we were available, so away we went.  We started from our house.  If the view looks different its because it is.  We moved two sites south and around the corner two sites so now the back of our rig faces our old site at a right angle.

 

 

JC and Leola ready to ride.

 

Their Honda Goldwing  note the passenger cupholder and the cooler!

Our first stop was the Sleepy Hollow restaurant we where went with Brock and Leola.  What a difference a weekend makes!  The lot was filled with bikes!

 



 

 

The weather was pleasant so the restaurant was empty.

 



All the action was outside by the Withlacoochie River side.  The back of the building houses restrooms, an outdoor bar and cooking facilities.

 





 

Weekends are really packed here because they offer a full steak dinner on Saturday afternoons for $5 and a full bbq fib dinner on Sunday for the same price.

 



 

 

Pink and proud of it

 

 

Airboat rides were available

 



 

Scads of picnic tables and a row of vendors around the back.

 



 

The stage played host to a pretty decent band.

 



 

Bev without her do rag and JC actually looking my way.

 



 

The band doing their rendition of Whole Lotta Love.

 



 

Yes the lead player is using a drill on his guitar.  They really rocked on this song.

 



 

After stuffing face and enjoying the band and the atmosphere for an hour or so, we rode back into Floral City and stopped at the local biker apparel shop.

 



 

 

Downtown Floral City

 



 

Something you don't see often--a group of crotch-rocket riders

 



To strech our ride, we rode to the Gulf  town of Ozello, turned around, stopped for a restroom break.  This place was across the water.  I don't know if it is a private residence or a tourist spot, but I thought being three stories made it kinda unique.

 



Our last stop was in Homosassa at Neon Leon's.  He was the bass player for Leonard Skynard, and was known as the Mad Hatter.  We don't know if he owned this place or if it was a tribute to him.  We do know this is a biker hangout known for its crabcakes.  Being good bikers, we stopped for an afternoon snack.

 



 

We have heard that this place is usually packed, but like Sleepy Hollow's inside, this place was empty. 

 

 

Unlike Sleepy Hollow, the outside was empty too.  We enjoyed our crabcakes and drinks and more conversation.

 



 

Time to head home.  At Homosassa's main street we parted company with our new friends.  They turned North for their campground in Wildwood while we headed south for Sumpter Oaks. 

 



 

The weather cooperated to make a nice ride, a fun visit with new friends, and an all around good time.

 

 

Next up--Good times at Sumpter Oaks.

 

 

Louise and Duane

December doin's

Since we're getting stuff ready to send to kids and grandkids for Christmas, our touring is kinda limited until all the packages are sent.  We have managed to take a couple of day trips in this beautiful Florida weather.  One was Sat. Dec. 1.  We attended a toy run sponsored by the AMA and Leesburg Gator H-D.  Our friend Dick and we joined 500 other bikers at the Leesburg WalMart to register, deposit our toys, and join the 50 mile bike ride from there, around Wildwood, and back to Gator H-D for hamburger/hot dog lunch, live band, raffles, door prizes, and looking at all the other bikes.  The event raised $20,000 and lots of toys which were donated to the Salvation Army for distribution to Lake County children.

 

Yesterday we joined friends Leola and Brock for a ride in the country. Dick couldn't go with us because he found a screw in his tire and his new one hasn't come in yet.   We rode to Homossasa Springs, Inverness, and Floral City. 

 

 

 

Brock and Leola's Honda Gold Wing with luxurious plush seats.

 



 

The day was beautiful with a mix of clouds and sky, very pleasant for riding.  Lots of Christmas decorations.

We eventually found our way to Sleepy Hollow, a little biker bar/restaurant outside Floral City. This place is known for great food at cheap prices.

 



Screened in porch.  The restaurant is inside the door to the left.  I thought I took pix, but we can't find them.  The bar runs down the left side.  There are three 4-person tables, 3 high tables, 2 6-people tables and at the end is a pool table.  The pizza was great.  We split an 18" supreme for $5.00 each.

 



After a liesurly lunch we wound our way through some very pretty country back to Bushnell.  Three hours later, we hauled ourselves to the Activity Center for a dine-in dinner.  Our decorations are festive, doncha think?



Not as big a turnout, but still delicious food and good company.

 



Warm enough for shorts.  I love this contrast. 

 



 

Salads and dessert--orange cake that was absolutely delicious!

 



 

After supper people table hopped and chatted for an hour or so.  Duane finally went to play pool, his latest distraction.  The pool room is at the end of these tables.  I worked on the jigsaw puzzle for a while.  It is on the table at the end of this row. 

 

We have since found another couple who ride, so maybe we can get seven people to go on the next ride.  We are aiming for Sleepy Hollow on a Saturday.  They serve a New York Strip steak, baked potato, and salad for $5.  Yum!!

 

 

Happy Trails,

 

Louise and Duane