Friday night bike nights at Lightning Strikes Family Fun Center in Trussville, Alabama are awesome! Cycle Connections is very proud to be a sponsor of this bike night since its conception. It’s like our favorite child!
Lightning Strikes has taken Bike Night out of the box and out of the building. It is the only bike night around that is outside with the bikes and with all the other essential necessities required for a good party. As soon as you hit the parking lot, they have a path for the bikes to take around to the back where we take up the whole back parking area. The route is clearly marked with cones, keeping the cars and bikes separated. The building is up on a hill with no business or homes close enough to be bothered by pipes or bands. Also there is a nice grassy hill to get laid back on. They also set up several large tables with chairs and the occasional fire barrel, as needed!
Marc and Augie Brenner who run the place also ride and so does Augie’s wife Lisa, so they understand bikers and have been a pleasure to work with. Did I mention they bring the bar outside? Yeah Man! You’ve got your drink, jamming to the tunes from one of the bands, and hanging out with your buds and your bikes! Occasionally we’ll talk the guys into feeding us as well, but if not, there is plenty to choose from inside to purchase.
Inside Lightning Strikes is a state of the art bowling alley that brings the PBA into town once a year, and it has a pro shop to pick up whatever you may need. Not in the mood to roll your big balls around? There are pool tables in the bar for the big kids and pool tables in the game room for the little kids, along with dartboards and other games. They also have a little known secret in the back of the bar—a private billiard parlor that hides behind a big ornate door where the table is made of mahogany, the high back bar stools are done with a tapestry fabric, and the ceilings are decorative, stamped metal/tin tile. There is a television, a huge cabinet with glass doors and a metal bowl for a sink. And there’s a phone to call and order more beer. This place is so cool! For a fee you can rent the room and have food and drinks brought in to you and your party. The fee is determined by whether you are eating wings and drinking beer, or dining on steak and champagne.
We have real cops (off duty) who come and keep all of us safe. One of them, Darren (Jack) Simpson and his wife Dana, also both ride and are both there most every Friday night. Dana won our first 50/50 drawing this year. There are some who have their wives and kids drive up while they ride, then everybody hangs out together. We also quite often have people who were inside bowling and come out to see what’s going on; some even stay and party with us awhile. It’s very family friendly!
Marc and Augie have booked us some kick-ass bands, for all but a couple of our bike nights this season, bands like “4th and One,” “Latest Rumor,” “The Pistons,” “Po Monkey,” and “J. Hawkins.” Lightning Strikes is always quick to participate in poker runs, rides, etc., that help individuals or benefit the community, including our poker run June 24 which benefits Camp Wheeze Away cosponsored by the American Lung Association of Alabama, and our ride to Barbers Motorsports Museum September 17 which benefits the American Cancer Society cosponsored by Mercedes Benz.
Every third Friday of the month we plan to have door prizes and do a 50/50 drawing, and we have plans for a few bike shows with trophy awards for first and second place. The first of the bike shows will be on Friday, June 23, the Friday before our poker run. Part of the proceeds from the bike show will also go toward Camp Wheeze Away. So if you find your self in the Birmingham area on a Friday night, stop by and party with your friends under the stars. We’ll leave the light on for you!
Write-On and Ride-On
Story and Photos by Lynn Reynolds and
Leigh Lilly - Birmingham, Alabama
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