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Bike Fest To Kick Into Gear Saturday

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 12, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - The third annual Cotee River October Bike Fest rolls into downtown Saturday and Sunday, offering live music, bike building, rider skill and stunt shows, The Vagabond Chickie, a tattoo contest and a veritable bevy of bikes.

FROM JIMI HENDRIX TO JIMMY BUFFETT: Here's the schedule of free concerts and Sunday worship. It's festival seating; bring a chair or blanket. No coolers are allowed.

• Saturday, Sims Park Stage - 1 to 3 p.m., Rebel Pride (Southern rock); 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Wiley Fox (country and rock); 6 to 8:30 p.m., Caribbean Chillers (Buffett tribute band); 9 to 11 p.m., The Marshall Tucker Band (Southern rock)

• Saturday, Grand Boulevard Stage - 1 to 3 p.m., Wooden Nickel Band (classic rock); 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Back Alley Blues Band; 6 to 8 p.m., VooDoo Child (Hendrix tribute band); 9 to 11 p.m., M 80's

• Sunday, Sims Park Stage - 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., worship service; 1 to 5 p.m., The Travis Redfish Project (classic rock, pop)

• Sunday, Grand Boulevard Stage - 1 to 5 p.m., Box for Pee Wee (soul, funk, rhythm and blues, rock, and hip-hop)

BUILDERS' CUSTOM BIKE SHOW: Vote for your favorite bike from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Orange Lake, north of Main Street. The winner will take home $2,000. Builders will include the Vagabond Chopper Co., The Wrench Custom Cycles, Eric Warren Designs, Greg's Custom Cycle Works, Callahan Custom Choppers and Dream Cycles. Winners will be announced at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Sims Park Stage.

CHAT WITH THE CHICKIE: Athena Ransom, dubbed 'The Vagabond Chickie,' will make an appearance. The mother of two, wife and college graduate repairs and builds motorcycles at the Vagabond Chopper Co. in Deerfield Beach, which she opened more than three years ago. 'Guys always gave me a hard time about being a chick that rides and wrenches on bikes,' she says at www.vagabondchoppers.com/Chickie.htm.

FULL THROTTLE 10 CLASS RIDE-IN BIKE SHOW: Register from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the city parking lot on Bank Street. The bike entry fee is $15. All participants must be in place by 4 p.m. for judging. Winners will be announced at 8 p.m. at the Grand Boulevard Stage.

FERE THRILL SHOW: Stunt rider Adam Holbrook will take his machine over obstacles such as large cable spools, suspended platforms, narrow ramps and a 10-foot-wall. He'll do jumps, 180-degree flip turns and other tricks. Shows are Saturday and Sunday in the Bank Street parking lot, north of Main Street. For details, visit fereinc.com.

LIVE BIKE BUILD: Watch the Eric Warren Designs crew weld, grind, paint and primp all weekend at Grand Boulevard and Nebraska Avenue.

MOTORMAN'S RIDERS SKILL SHOW: Jerry 'Motorman' Palladino is producer of the 'Ride Like a Pro' video series, which teaches motorcyclists, from newbies to longtime veterans, how to improve their skills. For details, visit www.ridelikeapro.com.

POLKA DOT TOUR: This team of riders is on a mission to raise awareness of breast cancer prevention, early diagnosis, minority health disparities, treatment options and clinical trials - one community, one woman and one mile at a time. The tour is tracing Florida, starting and ending in Panama City. The route heads east to Jacksonville, south to Miami and Key Largo, then swings north to Naples and Crystal River - stopping at other cities along the way - before finishing in the Panhandle. For details, visit www.polkadottour.org.

TATTOO CONTEST: At 7 p.m. Saturday in Cavalaire Square, a pocket park just east of Grand Boulevard between Nebraska and Missouri avenues; categories are best sleeve, best color, best black and grey, best small, best large, best portrait, best tribal, best overall male; best overall female.

WHAT ELSE? Vendors will sell biker apparel and accessories, official bike fest merchandise, beer and food.

THE HOST WITH THE MOST ... ENTHUSIASM: 'After the success of the last two years, we are very excited for our area to be hosting this event again this year,' said Joe Alpine, president of the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce. '... Since October is the start of cooler weather and a time when bike owners like to get out and do a lot of riding, ... it's a perfect fit for them to ride in and visit our area.'

AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS: Harley-Davidson of Tampa, Brandon and New Port Richey; Law Offices of Attridge, Lucas, Green, Jefferis, Magee and Magazine (Sims Park Stage); Budweiser (Grand Boulevard Stage); Cycle Alley Motorsports (Adam Holbrook stunts); Action Honda (ride-in bike show); RideNow Powersports (builders' show); AT&T, The Real Yellow Pages; Highland Turf & Tractor; Enterprise Rent-A-Car; GTE Federal Credit Union; Price Portables; Quality Inn & Suites; Total Web Hosting Solutions; Waste Services of Florida; Scootergoods Magazine; The Tampa Tribune; The Suncoast News; WFLA, Channel 8; and TBO.com.

WANT MORE? Visit www.cotee riverbikefest.com or call the chamber at (727) 842-7651.

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