GREAT FIND!

Ok...you pull out the ride, it's kickstands up and off you go to one of your favorite spots. The problem is, many people don't get off the beaten path enough to find some really great places. For example; I have made the trip to Leesburg many times. This is about a 90 mile trip from my house. I'd rather not ride the interstate system if I don't have to, mainly because it's just plain boring. So, I make the Leesburg run on State Highway 50. This brings me through a little burg called Clermont, Florida. The first couple of times through there and I just looked at this sign, "Historic Clermont Downtown" and never paid much attention to it. It is actually on a corner of a park and pond surrounded by a rolling hill. But one day I made the turn...got off the ant trail and explored a little.

I spotted this sports bar called BENCH WARMERS just across the street from a big lake. You know your at a good spot when there is designated bike parking. There is an outside deck that faces the lake and the inside is very roomy. High ceilings add to the open feeling and make viewing the many TVs easy to see. There is an elevated seating area as well that will give you a view of the whole bar including the huge projection screen. This is a great place to watch a game. You can also overlook the game area
with pool tables, dart games and a few other game machines. I saw a sign that listed some evening live music nights too. Smoking is allowed out on the deck and it appears that in the evenings the deck has it's own outside bar. One of the other things I noticed was that is was very clean. It didn't have that smell of old stale beer and smoke.

Now the really important part....THE FOOD! This is my second time there and both times the food has been very good. This time I had what is one of my favorite meals....WINGS! Now mind you, I have eaten all kinds of wings, with all kinds of flavors...I have even had them in Buffalo, NY. home of the chicken wing. Bench Warmers has several flavors, one of which is a hot that they claim will make your organs crawl out your backside and go yapping into the night like a puppy!! So hot, they have a challenge that you can attempt. All you have got to do is eat 6 of the HOT HOT HOT flavored wings, in a couple of minutes. No thanks!! Instead I opted for their "Grilled" wings. WOW, are these some good wings! A hint of char-grilled flavor..Mmmm mmmm! The blue cheese ( the real way to eat Buffalo Wings) is thick & chunky. A couple of the guys got, onion rings and cheese sticks. Both were of high quality. The soft drinks, some of us had iced tea, came in large tumblers. A beer report from one of the other riders said the that beer was ice cold. The service was very good as well. Our server, Melissa, kept checking on us and bringing us refills on our drinks. She was very attentive and sweet. Thanks Melissa! I am going to make this place one of my ride destinations more often. Can't wait for football season to start! Go Bucs!!

So, if your up around the Clarmont area, do your self a flavor and stop in at BENCH WARMERS. I would give this place all the stars or thumbs up that I could!

Until the next ride...be safe,

Mike