|
|
Daytona Beach Bike Week
(also called Daytona Bike Week,) is a 10-day motorcycle rally held annually in Daytona Beach, Florida. It’s usually held the first full week of March and is one of the most popular and one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the United States. The festivities at the special event include motorcycle racing, concerts, street festivities and parties. Approximately 500,000 people attend Daytona Beach Bike Week each year.
The Daytona Beach Bike Week rally began as part of the Daytona 200 race on in January of 1937. This first race was a 3.2 miles (5.1 km) beach and pavement course, and won by Ed Kretz from California. Mr. Kretz was riding an Indian motorcycle with an average speed of 73.34 mph (118.03 km/h). The annual Daytona 200 took a break from 1942 to 1947 due to World War II. During these years, however, an “unofficial” event was still taking place and was commonly called Bike Week. After the war ended, Bike Week continued and in 1947, the official Daytona 200 race also resumed. The event and rally was promoted by “Big Bill” France, the co-founder of NASCAR and gained in popularity. Today, the Daytona International Speedway still promotes the Daytona 200, as well as the entire Bike Week races and festivities. This includes the very popular Daytona Supercross.
In October, there is a second motorcycle festival in Daytona Beach called Biketoberfest. This event began in 1991 and is usually held the weekend immediately following Columbus Day. It attracts nearly 125,000 motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the United States and Canada for a weekend of races, charity rides, street festivals, rallies, live music and other fun activities. Both Bike Week and Biketoberfest include a chance to ride the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail, or simply called “The Loop” by motorcycle enthusiasts. It’s a dream ride that begins at the foot of Granada Bridge in Ormond Beach and goes north through a canopy of trees, along the Intracoastal Waterway (the Halifax River.) The winding roads and leisurely ride give riders a chance to enjoy Florida’s natural beauty. There are lots of places along the way to stop and rest and enjoy the countryside. It also passes Ormond Park, where the Fairchild Oak stands, which is one of Florida’s oldest living oak trees. The Loop is approximately 22 miles long.
|
|
|
