Ride to Half Wall - DeLand

In honor of our riding friends up north dealing with the surprise winter snowstorm, BMWNEF took a ride on the backroads to DeLand, Florida. You know where DeLand is right? It’s next to DeWater. (Sorry, old Florida joke).

Twelve brave souls met at 9:30 in the terrible cold weather of Northeast Florida, yeah it was 57 degrees. Lenny Ovrutsky and Tom Nolan led two separate groups down past Silver Leaf and Molasses Junction on our way to Bunnell. We survived the Red-Light jungle in Palm Bay which led us down to the canopy roads and streets around the DeLeon Spring township and ultimately to our destination, Deland.

Lunch was served quickly and it was worth the ride. The table where I sat enjoyed fish and chips, salads and soups. Other tables had a variety of burgers which Half Wall is famous for. It was a very enjoyable 2 ½ hour ride to the restaurant.

Riders paired up or took a solo ride home. 

Thanks everyone for a safe and enjoyable ride and lunch. Hopefully our northern friends can break loose from the snow and make it to our next ride. Joking aside, we wish all of you warmth, safety and a quick restoration of services.

BMWNEF WINTER RALLY

2026 Winter Rally

Camp Weed Workday (day two)

They say that if you have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning because your sore all over it’s because you partied too hard the night before. Well, I wouldn’t call it a party, but fourteen of your dedicated members put their backs into splitting wood and stacking it for the Winter Party on the 6^th. Jim Allen brought his skidsteer tractor along with his neighbor’s log splitter. Jimmy Stockton brought his splitter as well and they made short work of the logs reaching upwards to 42” in diameter. (Yeap, I measured that big sucker).

Anyway, we now have three separate bonfire stacks ready for your enjoyment during the 2026 Winter Rally. They may all still be burning Saturday night.

Thanks everyone that turned out and put their heart, soul and back into the project.  I had fun as well, but my muscles sure are sore this morning.

2025 ANNUAL BMWNEF CHRISTMAS PARTY

On Saturday, December 6, the club Christmas party was held at the 

Good News Church in Saint Augustine Florida. Approximately 55 people attended providing a treasure trove of Christmas gifts to the Marines for the Toys for Tots program.

Officers were elected for the year 2026. John Brueggemann / President, Chris Terajewicz / VP, Myron Beachy / Treasurer and Jim Allen / Secretary. Chip Kenyon Past President, Larry Meeker / Director, Tom Nolan / Director, Lenny Ovrutsky Ride captain and Larry Dengler videographer.

A short review of the many rides and events sponsored by the club was presented by Chris Terajewicz. Coming up this month for December is a ride on the 10th and 20th, and the Penguin Ride January 1, 2026. All the details are on the events calendar.

The Maggie Award was awarded to Steve Wishard in recognition of his camaraderie and hard work for the club. Norm Nelson and Jim Allen presented the award.

Bill Botkin provided some entertainment with a music based trivia quiz.  

There was an abundance of food, including ham, turkey, and a number of tasty dishes from the members. Jeanette Meeker worked tirelessly in the kitchen with many helpers. No one left hungry and many doggie bags were brought back to family members.

All members are invited to share their photos of all the club events they attend on the website by signing in on the site and going to their profile and creating an album. 

Merry Christmas!!

Fourth Quarter Club Social
11/15/2025

Bill Botkin selected The Crab Trap in downtown Fernandina for our November gathering. Twenty-six members, spouses, and guests enjoyed a delicious meal upstairs, with attentive service throughout the evening.  Lively conversations abound.

Some members of the group started their evening by exploring the variety of shops that give the area its unique charm. Live music frequently fills the air, and street performers entertain crowds as people stroll through the vibrant scene.

Some of the group were rumored to head to DeNuci’s Ice Cream after dinner.

Darien Georgia Saturday Ride Report
10/18/2025

A 10-degree temperature drop made for an exceptionally pleasant riding day, accompanied by clear skies and ideal weather conditions. Six participants convened at the Raceway gas station on US200 and I95 at 9:30 a.m. Following a concise riders' meeting, the group departed via backroads toward Hillard and subsequently the Florida/Georgia state line. Lenny led the group efficiently through several twists prior to entering Georgia, demonstrating his familiarity with Northeast Florida routes.

A brief stop in Folkston, Georgia included joining Jim, Jack, and Woody, who traveled from Lake City. Now with two sidecars and a trike in our group, Jim transferred the sweep position. The ride proceeded along a winding course, ultimately arriving in Darien.

Lunch at Rivers Edge Bar and Grill proved to be an excellent choice, thanks to attentive service and high-quality food.

Preplanning was instrumental to this ride's success, with Tom and Lenny ensuring an enjoyable route. Lenny also explored additional options for future rides on his return to Jacksonville. Communication, facilitated by updated headset software and standardization of channel usage, ensured smooth coordination—an advantage especially evident during the sweep position transition between Tom and Jim.

Our appreciation extends to Lenny, Tom, and Jim for their respective contributions throughout the event. The ride was thoroughly enjoyable.

Barber Vintage Days: An Unforgettable Experience

Once again, Barber Motorsports proved itself to be a premier destination for motorsport enthusiasts. This marks my eighth year attending the annual ‘Barber Vintage Days’ held each October in Birmingham, Alabama, and each visit is just as thrilling as the last. If you’ve never visited Barber Museum, it truly deserves a spot on your bucket list. As the largest motorcycle museum in the world, it boasts over 1,500 motorcycles on display, along with the world’s largest Lotus Collection.

Barber Museum is open year-round, but the excitement peaks during Barber Vintage Days. The weekend comes alive with a variety of racing events including cross country, motocross, flat track, and the famous 2 ½ mile road course. Both the cross country and motocross competitions feature 15 classes, welcoming everyone from beginners to experts. Watching these races at both venues is always a highlight. The flat track racing includes 10 competitive classes, with the Bultaco Racing Class standing out as the premier event. If you’ve never witnessed a ¼ mile asphalt flat track race, you’ll be hooked once you see these incredible bikes speed around the track.

Barber Vintage Days is much more than just racing. The swap meet rivals any flea market in the area, featuring ten rows packed with everything a motorcycle enthusiast might need. Savvy attendees often find someone from their area who brought a trailer and negotiate space for purchases for the return trip home. Personally, I was able to find parts for my Kawasaki and my 1200RT.  You could easily spend an entire day exploring the swap meet alone.

The vendor area also impresses with its wide variety of suppliers, catering to every need with special event pricing and deals. Major motorcycle vendors are in attendance, offering demo rides throughout the weekend. Notably, BMW has transformed the weekend into their US Motorrad Event of the year for the third consecutive year. All their new bikes are available for viewing, and you can sit on most of them—except for the stunning 1000 SBK Prototype, which looks fast even when standing still.

What truly sets Barber apart from other events is their commitment to excellence. Every aspect of the event is first class.  You would think you were at Disney World.  Guests can comfortably sit on the grass to watch the races without worrying about ants, litter, or other distractions. The grass itself is meticulously maintained, thanks to an installed irrigation system, topsoil, and careful landscaping. Unless it rains, you’ll stay dry. This attention to detail extends throughout the park, including the gates, artwork, and even the guardrails, which are lined with shrubs to ensure nothing distracts from your photographs.

Make plans to join us next year. The experience is well worth the trip, and I guarantee it’s unlike any event you’ve attended before.

Iron Horse Weekend

I think we had a record number of members and guest spend the weekend at Iron Horse Motorcycle Campground with 22 total attendees. There were several group rides throughout the weekend led by various members. Lenny, Bill, Cecil, Fred and Jim shared some of their favorite routes including 143, 28, 129 to name a few. Tim gave us a good workout on some of his favorite routes through the mountains and we all came back smiling. It would be nice to have just one of these routes closer to Jacksonville, but I guess we can't have everything.

The weather was perfect for riding with only a little fog in the morning and short afternoon showers that didn't get us soaked. We were pretty much dry by the time we got back to camp.

We had 19 members join us for dinner Saturday night. The meal and sharing of adventures over the past few days was excellent.

I had a blast!!

Chip had his own adventure on the route home, but more about that later.

Regards

John Brueggemann

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