Vol 18 No 1 - 31 March, 2014

Jim & I had good flights back to the USA and arrived just before midnight on March 3.  Ron Hewitt was waiting to collect us, took us to our car and we headed to Daytona Beach.

We always have the four months of accumulated mail and business to take care of, as well as getting Federal tax information to the Accountant.

Bike Week was from 7 – 16 March.  The weather was cool in the start, and warmed up, then got cool again, one day of rain, then warmth.

Indians at the Swap Meet.

BSA's at the Swap Meet.

Jimmy got in to town on the Friday.  Saturday morning we had a quick look at the Flea Market, then out to a Swap Meet at the Cabbage Patch and met friends there.  Many stalls of old parts and old bikes. 

Got a poster signed by motorcycle racing legend, Dick Klamfoth, now age 85. Proceeds to the Motorcycle Racers Monument at Daytona Beach.

Internet:  Dick Klamfoth will forever be associated with the Daytona 200.  At the age of 20, Klamfoth burst onto the racing scene in March of 1949 when he rode to a surprise victory in the 200 on his very first attempt.  Klamfoth won the spring classic again in 1951 and 1952 to become the first three-time winner of America’s most famous motorcycle race.  Known as one of the true gentlemen of the sport, Klamfoth was named AMA’s Most Popular Rider in 1961.

Klamfoth retired in 1989 and continues to promote the sport.  He spearheaded an effort to have a monument placed on Daytona Beach commemorating the years in which the Daytona 200 was held on the beach course from 1937 to 1960.  He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

We went to the Daytona 200 Monument to find his plaque, it is a few blocks from the house, in front of the Hilton Hotel.

Dick Klamfoth's plaque.

Sunday evening Jim went to the Flat Track races, and racing rider/friend, Cody Johncox and his girlfriend, Taylor came back with them to stay for the week.  Cody’s bike developed a fuel tank leak, so he did not race that night.

From: www.johncoxracing.com  Cody started racing dirt track at 5 years old at the TT in Medina, NY.  By age 9 he was the Canadian Youth 65cc Champion and Ontario’s Provincial Champion.

Over the next few years as an amateur he won several AMA Amateur Grand National races and Championships.  He turned Pro at age 16.  (He is 19 years old now)

Kentucky Jerry arrived late Sunday night – drove direct from Kentucky for Bike Week.

Monday evening was the Moto Guzzi group meeting at Pantheon Pizza - always fun to catch up with friends from the area and other states.

Bob Walters arrived from Buffalo later that evening.  Bob was lined up to paint Jimmy’s truck and painted it in Jimmy’s driveway!  It kept the men busy through the week providing the labour – helping with sanding, wind breaks, moving ladders, etc.  Bob did the spray painting, he did an excellent job of it. They did it between the fluctuating weather conditions.  The pin striping and decals put on after Bike Week.  It looks like a show truck – the USS Nickle & Dime, a 1985 International.

Jimmy and the USS Nickel & Dime - newly painted (this photo taken after Bike Week).

Tuesday night 11 March, the rest of the Johncox family flew in from Buffalo; Eric, Kerry and Shelby.  Eric and Kerry own Sunnyside Motorcycles in Alexander, NY.  They enjoyed a couple of days at the Beach and Bike Week events, and prepared for Cody’s races on Thursday and Friday night.

L to R: Kerry, Eric, Cody, Taylor and Shelby.

Thursday, during the day we went to the first annual Surf City Rumble – a show for Vintage, Speed and Café Racer Motorcycle Show on Flagler Avenue, in New Smyrna Beach.  Derek entered his newly restored Moto Morini, and some moto guzzi’s were entered.  A nice crowd attended, it was fun.

Derek's moto morini.

Old and new moto guzzi's at the Show.

Joe arrived Thursday about lunch time to attend Cody’s first race in Expert Class at the Daytona International Speedway Dirt Track.

Internet: AMA Pro Flat Track is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing.  Sanctioned by the AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing.  The 2014 schedule consists of 16 rounds on the country's finest flat track courses.

AMA (American Motorcycle Association) Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship, Rounds 1 & 2 of the 2014 racing schedule held at Daytona International Speedway.  Jim attended both nights (I only went on the Friday night -Thursday was cold temperatures!).  Many moto guzzi friends were there and are following Cody as well, they tailgated in the parking lot before the race, and Jim, Joe and I spent some time in the Pit area.

Tailgating, cooking out in the parking lot.

Cody's race bikes getting prepared for racing.

Cody finished mid-pack in both races, very pleasing and impressive for the first rounds.  He will be travelling national racetracks for the rest of the season.  Very exciting!

Saturday morning the Johncox crew headed back to Buffalo, we enjoyed their visit with us.
Jim and I checked out the motorcycle tradeshow at the Speedway grounds - always fun and interesting to see the new bikes and motorcycle products.

Motorcycle Tradeshow at the Speedway.

Checking out the new Victory motorcycles!

Lesley, Jim, Joe and Jimmy.

Caught up with Joe and Jimmy that afternoon at the Oasis Tiki Bar – family photo opportunity - updated from the (Joe Face) one taken in June last year!

Joe left Monday morning, 17 March, Bob left Wednesday morning.  Jimmy left the following Monday morning.

Jim had planned to get a knee replacement after Bike Week, but put it on hold because Stem Cell Therapy is available and he is researching that as an alternative.

Usually the application for the Landstar trucking contract is completed before we get back to Daytona Beach, so it all had to be done when we got back.  Therefore it took longer than usual to get back to work, drug test, physical, truck and trailer inspections were done after Bike Week.

When we arrived back from Australia, our truck had a flat steer tyre, Jim tried to inflate it, but it was off the rim.  The tyres would have needed replacing within the next couple of months, so Jim had the tyreman replace them.  The truck was up on jacks and one wheel had been put on when the truck fell off the jacks.  It was a windy day with 35 mph (60km) gusts, we can only surmise that a gust hit it.  One of the jacks perforated the oil pan.  The tyre company covered the repairs, but it took over a week to get parts and the work done.

Friday evening, 28 March Jim and I attended a concert at the Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach.  It is two blocks from the house and they have some great performers and shows there, but we have never been around to attend any.  This year is the 65^th Anniversary of the Theatre.

Peabody Auditorium, Daytona Beach.

The Classics.

Internet:  For 65 years the Peabody Auditorium has led the way as a venue where stars of the world of entertainment and the arts have attracted audiences numbered in the tens of thousands.  Named in honor of benefactor Simon J Peabody, who donated the land where the auditorium was build, the new Peabody Auditorium was dedicated October 6, 1949 with a concert featuring the United States Navy Band.

In the 65 years since, the Peabody stage has been honored by the likes of Liberace, Red Skelton, Liza Minelli, Shirley MacLaine, Elvis Presley (!!!), Tony Bennett, James Taylor, Tom Jones, Louie Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel, Willie Nelson, Jerry Seinfeld, Sammy Davis Jr, Engelbert Humperdink, David Copperfield.  Acclaimed Broadway musicals and touring productions including CATS, 42^nd Street, A Chorus Line, Chicago, STOMP, Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Riverdance.  The world renowned London Symphony Orchestra began its ongoing love affair with the Auditorium 33 years ago, and the Daytona Beach Symphony Society has made the Peabody Auditorium its home for the past 62 years.

Pop, Rock & Doo Wopp Live consist of five groups that were popular in the 1950's and 1960's.  Each group performed 6 or 7 songs.  The performers are now in their 70’s, and each band featured at least one person from the original groups.  Vocal Group Hall of Fame (I had not heard of this - it is in Sharon, Pennsylvania) and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees: The Shirelles (“Solidier Boy”, “Mama Said”, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”), and The Flamingos (“I Only Have Eyes For You” cover version), they did their doo wop version of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” which was great.  The Skyliners (Pennies From Heaven”, “Since I Don’t Have You”), The Happenings (hits with cover versions of “See You In September”, “I Got Rhythm”, “Go Away Little Girl”, “Why Do Fools Fall In Love”), The Classics (“Life Is But A Dream, Sweetheart”, “Portrait Of A Fool”).

It was fun and we both enjoyed it.  Seating capacity is 2,521 – not sold out, but an enthusiastic crowd attended.

Jim attended driver orientation for Landstar on Monday, 31 March – we will be back to work this week.

The truck has been sitting for awhile, it made friends with the flora!!