We took off early, in the cool blue dawn, on a Friday, ditching responsibilities and jobs for a weekend blast into the Florida Keys. It was Phil Peterson’s 34rd Annual Poker Run. We usually by-pass the poker hand at the beginning and head straight for Key West! We can buy a hand at the end in Key West for ten bucks and be done with losing at poker yet again.
Heading out on old US Route One, rolling past the Florida Bay, southbound, it’s on the right, the Savannahs begin to turn aquatic. The mangrove trees lessen and the blue horizon widens even more. As we swelter under the noon day sun, it’s interesting to note that there is a sign as you slow down to round over the very first draw bridge heading into Key Largo. It’s tucked up against a cabbage palm and boldly reads, “Bikers Welcome.” Is it that always there? It certainly looked like it. Do the Florida Keys welcome bikers all year ‘round or is it something the Peterson clan and participating bar stops perch just for this specific run? Or is it there for this season of the year only?
I’m probably the only one to notice such an announcement of our presence but I appreciate the fact that we are welcome here. Our dollars matter, whether we are participating in a poker run or just coming for the Margaritas at Mallory Square.
In 34 years the Phil Peterson Key West Poker Run has never been cancelled by weather. Bitchy storms like Katrina glanced off the City of Key West but the stinking hurricane season has not stopped the riding community of South Florida and points north from attending this extraordinary biker weekend of fun in the sun.
It began back in the ‘70s, when Phil Peterson, an aged blood brother to all who ride and 46 of his closet buddies thought it would be a good way to bring some commerce to the Keys at the end of the off season. Little did Phil know that their vision would become one of the nation’s best motorcycle riding experiences.
Add Mother Nature, at her tropical best, a sun-drenched two lane highway to throttle up and so many bikinis that a man’s attention span might burst in its search for the perfect pair of tatas! We agreed that there are more beautiful women per ratio at this event than any other, except maybe the Smoke Outs!
Poker players get to stop at bars and grills like Gustos, the Holiday Isle, The Island Tiki Bar and Boondocks Draft House for poker cards and a cold one. We preferred to buy our hands at the last stop in Key West. The new “Poker Run Biker Vendor Village” was set-up outside the Conch Republic Restaurant and expanded into small city streets.
I mentioned hotels for a specific reason; you must book a year in advance to snatch a decent place, at a decent rate. We paid a hefty tag for a flee-bag this year, and while Key West is pricey all the time, we noticed that prices were higher for bikers, than say during Fantasy Fest at the end of October. The city is an international tourist spot. They’ve got us by the short hairs.
By now, Duvall Street is where the action is and the locals, in Old Town, are reluctantly tolerant of V-twin noise; however, revving up a motor, just to be heard won’t be tolerated. Hefty fines are handed out for sheer noise (it’s not the place for it), and be very aware of the traffic lights. The height of many signal-light poles, make them almost impossible to see! We watched as a pair of riders got pulled over for running a red light. They couldn’t see the damn thing and pitched a bitch! The cops let them go, which we cheered, since across the street, were open displays of public nudity going undisciplined by Key West’s finest.
Above The Bull and Whistle Bar filled to capacity with drunkards and dames alike eager to see bikini tops pulled aside and beads of honor tossed to the island maidens. On the streets, our search for HORSE feature bikes continued, since it’s an ocean of stock bikes with way too much emphasis on paint jobs. A few customs could be considered passable but most were too high end for our tastes. Shovelheads must be hardy to make the trek through high heat and much traffic. Some were rat classics and I tried to explain “Rat” to one perplexed tourist. She didn’t get it.
The customs bike show was held in front of Dirty Harry’s and I prowled around Sloppy Joe’s. I went back across the street to have a pizza lunch at Ric’s, slash, Dirty Harry’s with my Ft Lauderdale bro, Sonny and my husband “Commander” Randy, who is always near the food.
Along comes Mr. Phil Peterson himself, at 81, to join Sonny for lunch among the throngs of bikers and tourists passing by. We know him from other South Florida runs and his two southernmost H-D dealerships, reveled in the Hemingway biker atmosphere surrounding him. He mentioned he had been doing “this” for sixty years, his eyes sparkling at the mention of his “Gypsy Tours”.
Phil Peterson is a true gentleman, a righteous old timer with a handshake and a smile for everyone! He reminded us that the business community of Key West appreciates us. Hurricanes have stomped the island economy for years. Phil credited bikers for bringing the tourist dollars back. He and my riding partner, Sonny, have been meeting for lunch, at this very spot, for the past 17 years! Phil is indeed a great motorcycle man among us. His legacy will live on through his many grandkids. The generosity that he and this gypsy band of brothers and sisters bring to the Florida Keys is highly recognized. He is the real celebrity at this party!
We continued our search for HORSE feature bikes and found a smooth ebony rigid Panhead outside Captain Tony’s, the original Sloppy Joes. While standing under the doorway and feeling that cold air conditioning we could handle a longneck of anything. Sweet! Another red Shovelhead caught my attention.
Then we came across a pair of antique Flatheads, bone stock beauties belonging to Ft. Lauderdale old timers. (yes, friends of mine). There are pockets of real bikers here, over run by asshole rubbies in biker clothing and sandals everywhere. Ah, but the local Latino girls we’re trying to mix it up. There are many commercial changes to the downtown district, very much displayed in the new wider boardwalk surrounding Mallory Square. Sponsors this year included Jack Daniels, and of course, Budweiser. All proceeds benefit the Diabetes Research Institute in Miami and the Key West Sunrise Rotary Club of the Conch Republic. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been donated to these two causes over the years.
Sunsets are famous here, our Saturday twilight was too hazy so we opted for dinner at El Sibone’, an excellent Cuban family owned eatery we found a few years ago. At the corner of Catherine and Royal Avenue, it too has expanded but remains a staple in our Key West Adventures.
Sunday morning offers up a Blessing of the Bikes on Mallory Square by the CMA and we headed up to The Cracked Egg on Big Pine Key for another eat-like-the-locals meal. Here we met up with another circle of friends heading home. With my Commander, it’s Ride to Eat, and Eat to Ride.
We loaded up after breakfast, fired up our horses and headed for home. We were bathed in fresh morning sunshine, the pristine waters of the Atlantic Ocean on one side, the sea green blue Gulf of Mexico on the other.
Information about this run can be found by calling Peterson’s in Miami 800-545-2561 or at www.fla-keys.com. Keep an eye out for the weathered and real. We’re there; you just have to look a little harder to find us.
–Katmandu
